Grumman AA5 pilot reports engine running slightly rough and returns for landing. While talking to th...

Attributes
ACN	812298
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cheetah Tiger Traveler
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	812299
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

I took my tiger for its first flight after the annual was completed (approximately 3 weeks earlier). While in-flight; I ran the engine through different RPM settings including 3-5 mins of slow flight (1800 RPM). While in slow flight; I felt the engine running a little rough; so I applied carburetor heat and gave it full power. The engine returned to normal operation; and I decided to return to my home airport. The tower was changing runways and told me that I was #4 in the pattern. I told them that the engine was running rough and asked if I can get down quicker. They offered me a straight-in to runway 32. I landed without incident and taxied to my tie-down. Ground control informed me that they called the crash truck and it would meet me at taxiway east. At the tie-down; I shut down the engine and went to talk to the crash truck driver. I told him that everything seemed ok. He then asked me for name; address; etc. While talking to him; we noticed that smoke started coming out of the lower portion of the front cowling and a hole was starting to appear. He got a fire extinguisher and put out the fire. 3 people from FSDO came out to the plane to examine it. I presented my license; medical and the plane's papers. I told them the story. They also asked for the name of my mechanic and if they could see the logbooks. I told them I did not have them with me and that they were still with the mechanic. With their help; I removed the lower portion of the cowling and found burnt nesting material in contact with the front baffling. There was no way to see this area when opening up the engine compartment during preflight. They seemed to be satisfied and released the plane back to me. Everybody left; I then pulled the plane approximately 100 yards to the wash area and completely washed down the entire engine compartment to remove the extinguisher powder then pulled the plane back to its tie-down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GRUMMAN AA5 PILOT REPORTS ENGINE RUNNING SLIGHTLY ROUGH AND RETURNS FOR LANDING. WHILE TALKING TO THE CRASH CREW AT THE TIE DOWN; A FIRE IS DETECTED IN THE ENGINE AND QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED.

Narrative: I TOOK MY TIGER FOR ITS FIRST FLT AFTER THE ANNUAL WAS COMPLETED (APPROX 3 WKS EARLIER). WHILE INFLT; I RAN THE ENG THROUGH DIFFERENT RPM SETTINGS INCLUDING 3-5 MINS OF SLOW FLT (1800 RPM). WHILE IN SLOW FLT; I FELT THE ENG RUNNING A LITTLE ROUGH; SO I APPLIED CARB HEAT AND GAVE IT FULL PWR. THE ENG RETURNED TO NORMAL OP; AND I DECIDED TO RETURN TO MY HOME ARPT. THE TWR WAS CHANGING RWYS AND TOLD ME THAT I WAS #4 IN THE PATTERN. I TOLD THEM THAT THE ENG WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND ASKED IF I CAN GET DOWN QUICKER. THEY OFFERED ME A STRAIGHT-IN TO RWY 32. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND TAXIED TO MY TIE-DOWN. GND CTL INFORMED ME THAT THEY CALLED THE CRASH TRUCK AND IT WOULD MEET ME AT TXWY E. AT THE TIE-DOWN; I SHUT DOWN THE ENG AND WENT TO TALK TO THE CRASH TRUCK DRIVER. I TOLD HIM THAT EVERYTHING SEEMED OK. HE THEN ASKED ME FOR NAME; ADDRESS; ETC. WHILE TALKING TO HIM; WE NOTICED THAT SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FRONT COWLING AND A HOLE WAS STARTING TO APPEAR. HE GOT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. 3 PEOPLE FROM FSDO CAME OUT TO THE PLANE TO EXAMINE IT. I PRESENTED MY LICENSE; MEDICAL AND THE PLANE'S PAPERS. I TOLD THEM THE STORY. THEY ALSO ASKED FOR THE NAME OF MY MECH AND IF THEY COULD SEE THE LOGBOOKS. I TOLD THEM I DID NOT HAVE THEM WITH ME AND THAT THEY WERE STILL WITH THE MECH. WITH THEIR HELP; I REMOVED THE LOWER PORTION OF THE COWLING AND FOUND BURNT NESTING MATERIAL IN CONTACT WITH THE FRONT BAFFLING. THERE WAS NO WAY TO SEE THIS AREA WHEN OPENING UP THE ENG COMPARTMENT DURING PREFLT. THEY SEEMED TO BE SATISFIED AND RELEASED THE PLANE BACK TO ME. EVERYBODY LEFT; I THEN PULLED THE PLANE APPROX 100 YARDS TO THE WASH AREA AND COMPLETELY WASHED DOWN THE ENTIRE ENG COMPARTMENT TO REMOVE THE EXTINGUISHER POWDER THEN PULLED THE PLANE BACK TO ITS TIE-DOWN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Grumman AA5 pilot reports engine running slightly rough and returns for landing. While talking to the crash crew at the tie down; a fire is detected in the engine and quickly extinguished.