In short: A petroleum-based engine fire calls for an immediate shutdown: throttle closed, mixture to cutoff, boost pump off and fuel selector off. Rod Machado then explains why you should speed up to help extinguish the flames, how to lose altitude quickly, and why you’re now committed to a power-off landing with no restart.
Video: “Handling In-Flight Emergencies – In-Flight Fires” by Rod Machado, from his YouTube channel.
What you’ll learn
- Why a petroleum-based fire is handled very differently from an electrical fire
- The shutdown items that cut the fuel supply to the fire
- Why closing vents and turning off the master switch can keep smoke out
- Why increasing airspeed, not slowing down, helps put the fire out
- Ways to descend fast: gear, slips, steep banks and a full-forward prop control
- Why there’s no restarting an engine that has been on fire
Cut off the fuel and keep the smoke out
This excerpt comes from Rod’s eLearning course on in-flight emergencies. He emphasizes that a petroleum-based fire is very different, and very dangerous, compared with an electrical fire. Once you identify it, stop the engine: pull the throttle back and leave it there, pull the mixture to cutoff, turn off the boost pump if it’s on and, most importantly, turn the fuel selector off so fuel isn’t fed to the fire.
Next, close the air vents to keep smoke and fumes out of the cabin. Then turn off the master switch, since avionics cooling fans often draw outside air across the equipment and could pull smoke into the cockpit.
Faster, not slower
A fire extinguisher won’t reach a fire ahead of the firewall. Instead, Rod explains, you increase airspeed so much airflow passes through that the burning fuel-air mixture becomes too lean to keep burning. You’re not trying to starve the fire of air; it has plenty. Some POHs specify a minimum speed for this, so know what yours says. Rod also shares a story about a test pilot friend who explored the dive speed needed to put out an engine fire in a large transport.
Getting down quickly
Now the priority is getting on the ground fast at the best available spot. Flaps are limited by their maximum extension speed, and electric flaps or gear may require turning the master back on briefly. Extending the gear adds drag, and Rod notes that his main concern with exceeding gear speed would be the doors, not a priority during a fire. A slip adds drag and, with a fire on one side, keeps flames and smoke away from the cockpit. A steep bank of 45 to 60 degrees also helps you lose altitude quickly, and Rod is clear this is not a spin.
Open the cowl flaps for more airflow, and move a controllable prop to full forward for maximum drag. Above all, once the engine has been on fire you’re committed to a power-off landing. Don’t try to restart it to reach an airport.
Go deeper with Rod Machado
Rod covers engine, electrical, wing and cabin fires, along with dozens of other emergencies, in his Handling In-Flight Emergencies eLearning course. Learn more in Handling In-Flight Emergencies eLearning Course.
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