AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021 - 104

NEWS & NOTES AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE
Faulty
assumptions
Avoiding fuel exhaustion
BY ALICIA HERRON
AH, YES, WEIGHT AND BALANCE: the constant
juggling act of getting what we want into the
airplane and the performance we need out
of it, all while staying within a tidy and fixed
envelope. And when required gear (suitcases,
survival kit, and more) and passengers are
non-negotiable, pilots often turn to fuel to
come out below maximum gross weight. But
sometimes, we push it too far-fuel exhaustion
accidents continue to occur every year.
Of all the factors that lead to aircraft
accidents, fuel is one of the easiest to
address. If you know your fuel system,
verify that you have the right type and
quantity of fuel, lean the engine properly,
and stay alert to changing conditions, the
odds of a fuel-related incident are virtually
nonexistent.
Here are some tips to avoid fuel
exhaustion:
* Be present every time your aircraft
is fueled. Verify fuel grade, quantity, and
tanks to be filled (see " Savvy Maintenance:
Misfueled! " p. 96).
* Check for water or contaminants in
your tanks.
* Secure fuel caps after you check
the tank and doublecheck them before
engine start.
* Determine available fuel in hours
and minutes instead of gallons and
pounds, and plan to land with at least an
hour of usable fuel.
* Lean the mixture to achieve the best
performance, range, and endurance.
104 | AOPA PILOT July 2021
* Recalculate range and endurance
hourly to maintain adequate fuel reserves.
* Understand how and when to use
boost pumps, auxiliary tanks, and fuel
transfer pumps, and switch tanks before
reaching pattern altitude.
* Use a timer to remind you to switch
tanks during flight.
* If you do become low on fuel, land
as soon as possible, and if you get close to
running out, don't be shy or embarrassed-
declare a fuel emergency with ATC to get
priority handling.
This may seem overly straightforward,
but even experienced pilots make mistakes
with fueling, sometimes with severe
consequences. In the early morning light
of April 22, 2019, the pilot of a Beechcraft
Baron 58 preflighted his aircraft at West
Houston Airport in Texas, before heading
to the terminal to greet his five passengers.
The flight was planned to take just
more than one hour. But the pilot's mistaken
belief about existing onboard fuel
proved disastrous.
Join the AOPA Air Safety Institute
in the video Accident Case Study: Faulty
Assumptions (airsafetyinstitute.org/ACS/
faultyassumptions) as we follow the Baron's
flight and learn how an unfortunate chain of
events ultimately led to tragedy.
airsafetyinstitute.org/spotlight/
fuelmanagement
EMAIL alicia.herron@aopa.org
NEW FROM ASI
AVOIDING LOC-G
From ground loops to veer-offs
and everything between, loss of
control during ground operations
(LOC-G) is the second most costly
item to insurers. But why do pilots
lose control on the ground? The
ASI team set out to answer those
questions.
Explore the different types
of loss-of-control issues on the
ground, what's likely causing
them, and what you can do to
prevent them. Also, learn how discipline
during approach, landing,
and ground operations can save
a lot of grief and money. Video
sponsored by AssuredPartners
Aerospace and USAIG.
airsafetyinstitute.org/insurance/
avoiding-loc-g
THERE I WAS...:
ENGINE FAILURE AT NIGHT
Longtime GA pilot, warbird trainer,
and DPE Doug Rozendaal tells his
story about piloting a Beech 18
during his years of flying freight,
when he experienced an electrical
failure at night in low IMC.
airsafetyinstitute.org/thereiwas

http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/insurance/avoiding-loc-g http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/insurance/avoiding-loc-g http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/ACS/faultyassumptions http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/ACS/faultyassumptions http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/spotlight/fuelmanagement http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/thereiwas http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/spotlight/fuelmanagement

AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2021