Eviation Aircraft’s all-electric Alice commuter prototype caught fire during ground testing at Ernest A. Love Field (PRC) in Prescott, Arizona, on Wednesday evening. No injuries were reported in the incident, which took place at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time. According to a news release from the City of Prescott, the fire department was on standby for the test and was able to extinguish the fire quickly. Airport personnel reported that normal operations resumed shortly before 9 p.m. and no commercial flights were disrupted.
Eviation said in a statement that it believes the fire may have been caused by a ground-based battery system. The extent of the damage to the nine-passenger prototype is not yet known. As previously reported by AVweb, Eviation planned to begin flight testing the Alice this year with goals of certification in 2021 and entry into service in 2022. It is not yet clear how the fire will affect Eviation’s timeline.
