Engine Fires in light training twins
I was reading an article by Alan Bramson in the Australian magazine Aircraft dated November 1987 called Flying Techniques No. 23 Engine Failure in a twin Part 2. The article discusses engine fire. He states: Quote; “In essence, the first thing is to identify the type of fire, oil or fuel. An oil fire will give off dense, black smoke and the best way way to stop it is to feather the propeller since the engine will continue to pump out oil as long as it rotates.
A fuel fire is usually dealt with by immediately turning off the fuel supply to the burning engine. Leave the ignition on so that the engine will use up all the fuel remaining in the lines running from the cock to the induction system.
It is best to fly straight ahead and confine the fire to the engine bay but when flames issue from the cowlings and present a danger of igniting a wing tank, a sideslip directing the flames away from the tank will minimise the danger.
When the engine stops running (indicating that the fuel is exhausted), feather the propeller, pull the mixture to idle cut-off, and turn off the ignition.” Unquote.
I presume this presupposes the aircraft doesn’t have an engine fire extinguishing system. While the fuel fire method that Bramson recommends seems logical, I am wary of its veracity. A fuel fire could quickly burn through ancillary fluid lines or weaken wing spars while waiting for the fuel lines to empty in a light twin that has no engine fire extinguishers. I would have thought that barring no advice on engine fires in the Pilot Operating Handbook for the type, it would be safer to cut the mixture feather the propeller, turn off the fuel and hope for the best.while getting the aircraft on the ground asap .