Section 3
Columbia 400 (LC41-550FG)
Emergency Procedures
Initial Issue of Manual: November 10, 2004
RC050002
Latest Revision Level/Date: -/11-10-2004
3-25
problem. Atypical control forces will be required and the flight should be terminated as soon as
possible or practicable (depending on flight conditions) to mitigate pilot fatigue. Remember that
during touchdown, when power is reduced and airspeed decays, there can be substantial changes
in the required control forces.
FIRES
General
– Fires in flight (either engine, electrical, or cabin) are inherently more critical;
however, the likelihood of such an occurrence is extremely rare. The onset of an in-flight fire
can, to some degree, be forestalled through diligent monitoring of the engine instruments and
vigilance for suspicious odors. Fires on the ground can be mitigated through proper starting
techniques, particularly when the engine is very cold.
Engine Fires
– The most common engine fires occur on the ground and are usually the result of
improper starting procedures. The immoderate use of the primer pump is a primary reason since
this causes engine flooding. In situations of extensive primer pump use, the excess fuel drains
from the intake ports and puddles on the ground. If this happens, the aircraft should be moved
away from the puddle. Otherwise, the potential exists for the exhaust system to ignite the fuel
puddle on the ground. Inadvertent engine flooding is likely during situations where the engine
has been cold-soaked at temperatures below 25
°
F (-4
°
C) for over two hours. See cold weather
operations on page 4-33.
Cabin Fires
– Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use of the fire extinguisher. For more
information on using the fire extinguisher see the discussion on page 7-136. Once a cabin fire is
extinguished, it is important to ventilate the cabin as soon as possible. The residual smoke and
toxins from the fire extinguisher must not be inhaled for extended periods. The ventilation
system should be operated at full volume with the cabin fan on. Deactivating the door seals
enhances the ventilation process.
Oxygen should be turned off in the event of a cabin fire and only used after it is determined that
the fire is extinguished. However, good pilot judgment should be used when flying at altitudes
where oxygen is required to weigh the effects of lack of oxygen with the potential fire hazard.
Once the fire is extinguished and if oxygen is available, put masks on and start the oxygen flow.
If fire cannot be extinguished, open the guard on the oxygen system in the overhead panel, place
the manual valve in the OFF position, and switch the oxygen switch to the OFF position.
LIGHTNING STRIKE
In order to prevent as much damage as possible to the electrical system, components, and
avionics in the event of a lightning strike, surge protection has been built into the Columbia
400’s electrical system. This surge protection comes from large MOVs (metal oxide varistor)
soldered in behind the circuit breaker panel. The Columbia 400 system has one MOV on the
avionics bus and one on the essential bus. The MOVs are located behind the circuit breaker panel
and are not accessible by the pilot in-flight. It is imperative that after a lightning strike, the
MOVs are replaced before the next flight.
CAUTION
After a lightning strike, the MOVs must be replaced before the next flight.
