I prime 3 or 5 shots and crank the engine. Backfire. I pause and wonder
"what the heck, it's never done that before." Then I notice a glow
from
under the engine cowling. And smoke. How weird, that's never happen before.
About two nanoseconds later I

realize the engine is on FIRE!!!!!

I begin to bail out of the plane. But I cannot get my seatbelt undone. I
say
out loud "calm down", get my seat belt undone, and leave the plane.


Before bailing from the plane try this. Throttle and Mixture off and crank the
starter. This should draw the burning gases through the carburetor and into
the cylinders where without any further fuel they will die for lack of oxygen.
I would be that the carburetor's aluminum venturi is distorted or melted away
completely.

John Dupre'