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NATA Aims To Improve Misfueling Awareness
On August 27 last year a Cessna 421C on a medevac flight crashed on initial climb out of Las Cruces, N.M., killing the pilot, two medical workers and the patient. Less than six months later, that sequence was repeated when a Piper PA-46 Malibu went down just after takeoff from Felts Field Airport in Spokane, Wash., killing the lone occupant. (www.ainonline.com) Ещё...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Awaiting "the rest of the story", but prelim info of the Malibu that crashed after leaving Felts Field was pilot himself self serve/refueled the airplane. Can't get more "be there while refueling" than that. If that is true, it begs the point of not only being there physically, but being there mentally and focusing on "one thing at a time". My bet is that at a perfect (or imperfect) time, the pilot was momentarily distracted as he was to pick the hose and grabbed the wrong one. Could have been a phone call or something he was trying to deal with and unable to multitask at the time. A student pilot was recently killed when he was doing solo touch and goes when he failed to flair at the needed time when his phone records indicate he got a phone call just as he was about to land. Distraction...you be the judge. It all goes to the sterile cockpit concept. Do you avoid distractions during preflight, fueling, other phases of flight? If not, don't think it can't happen to you. If not, you might want to rethink your SOP. Just an interesting concept....all conjecture until the NTSB reports come out but a good point nevertheless.
Previous post is reply to 'George Rodregues'
Excellent point George. Case in point, a Northern Thunderbird B100 crashed at CYVR and the two pilots died as a result of the crash, fortunately all the pax survived.
The initiating factor was an oil leak brought on by a loose filler cap. The plane was serviced the night before and the AME apprentice failed to properly secure it. His supervisor failed to see it and signed off as complete. The PIC who had over 10,000 hrs......did not do his pre-flight inspection!
The pax pointed out a pool of oil under the engine and this last chance to catch this 'little thing' was shrugged off by the pilot.
And unfortunately it 'bit them in the ass'
We all know what the acronym "ASSUME" means.
C-GXRX was one sweet looking King-Air!
The initiating factor was an oil leak brought on by a loose filler cap. The plane was serviced the night before and the AME apprentice failed to properly secure it. His supervisor failed to see it and signed off as complete. The PIC who had over 10,000 hrs......did not do his pre-flight inspection!
The pax pointed out a pool of oil under the engine and this last chance to catch this 'little thing' was shrugged off by the pilot.
And unfortunately it 'bit them in the ass'
We all know what the acronym "ASSUME" means.
C-GXRX was one sweet looking King-Air!
Idiots abound on the line crew, always have, always will, growing in numbers daily. BUT, is it that big a of an inconvenience for the pilot(s) to hang around while the plane is refueled? Or is it that important to get to the FBO office and stare at the chick behind the counter?
Generally, I arrange for for clean fuel cans if I'm going out beyond my round trip range or am present and closely observing the fueler BECAUSE I CAN. I'm a rank amateur in aviation l, but I've been around long enough and have enough hours to know that it's almost always the things that you don't check carefully that bite you on the ass (DUH!).
One time I saw a line guy take an inspection plate off the wing (yes six screws held it on) of a Diamond DA20 and fill the wing with fuel cause he didn't realize the tank is in the fuselage.