A saab 340B pilot reports an engine intake heater mat fire undetected by the crew during post flight...

Attributes
ACN	742501
Time
Date	200706
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pib.airport
State Reference	MS
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Ice
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : post flt
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	742501
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I must have went directly from inspecting the propeller blades to inside the intake while glancing at the lip. I believe that the combination of a burned area on a black area with the rain and darkness contributed to this oversight. While en route to pib we encountered icing conditions that lasted for approximately 15 mins. After exiting the conditions; but not before 5 mins had elapsed; we received an intake caution light. The light extinguished before we could get the QRH out. We considered the light to be transient and that no further action be required. It was about XA30 when I did my postflt inspection. It was dark and raining. I did utilize a flashlight; however; I overlooked the burned area on the lip on the l-hand intake. The first officer observed the intake condition during his preflight inspection. Once the first officer brought it to my attention I wrote up the intake and then contacted dispatch followed by maintenance. I'm sure expectancy played a part in my overlooking of the intake condition. I will use this experience to build upon.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SAAB 340B PILOT REPORTS AN ENG INTAKE HEATER MAT FIRE UNDETECTED BY THE CREW DURING POST FLT WAS DISCOVERED THE NEXT MORNING DURING PREFLT.

Narrative: I MUST HAVE WENT DIRECTLY FROM INSPECTING THE PROP BLADES TO INSIDE THE INTAKE WHILE GLANCING AT THE LIP. I BELIEVE THAT THE COMBINATION OF A BURNED AREA ON A BLACK AREA WITH THE RAIN AND DARKNESS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS OVERSIGHT. WHILE ENRTE TO PIB WE ENCOUNTERED ICING CONDITIONS THAT LASTED FOR APPROX 15 MINS. AFTER EXITING THE CONDITIONS; BUT NOT BEFORE 5 MINS HAD ELAPSED; WE RECEIVED AN INTAKE CAUTION LIGHT. THE LIGHT EXTINGUISHED BEFORE WE COULD GET THE QRH OUT. WE CONSIDERED THE LIGHT TO BE TRANSIENT AND THAT NO FURTHER ACTION BE REQUIRED. IT WAS ABOUT XA30 WHEN I DID MY POSTFLT INSPECTION. IT WAS DARK AND RAINING. I DID UTILIZE A FLASHLIGHT; HOWEVER; I OVERLOOKED THE BURNED AREA ON THE LIP ON THE L-HAND INTAKE. THE FO OBSERVED THE INTAKE CONDITION DURING HIS PREFLT INSPECTION. ONCE THE FO BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTN I WROTE UP THE INTAKE AND THEN CONTACTED DISPATCH FOLLOWED BY MAINT. I'M SURE EXPECTANCY PLAYED A PART IN MY OVERLOOKING OF THE INTAKE CONDITION. I WILL USE THIS EXPERIENCE TO BUILD UPON.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

A saab 340B pilot reports an engine intake heater mat fire undetected by the crew during post flight was discovered the next morning during preflight.