Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary DEN87FA231

DELTA, UT, USA

Aircraft #1

N3037L

CESSNA 310J

Analysis

PLT STATED AFTER THE ACC THAT HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM ON THE CESSNA 310. THE MAIN FUEL TANKS ARE ON THE WING TIPS AND THE AUX TANKS ARE IN THE WINGS. THE PLT THOUGHT THE OPPOSITE. THE PLT DEPARTED AND WAS BURNING FUEL FROM THE MAIN TANKS WHEN THE ENGS QUIT AT 13,000 FT. HE SWITCHED TO THE AUX TANKS AND DID NOT GET A RESTART AFTER 10 SECS. THE PLT SWITCHED BACK TO THE MAIN TANKS AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGS. AN EMERG LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD. EXAM OF ACFT REVEALED THE MAIN TANKS WERE EMPTY AND THE AUX TANKS WERE NEARLY FULL. ACCORDING TO ENGINEERS AT THE CESSNA ACFT CO, THE AVG TIME NEEDED FOR FUEL TO FLOW TO THE ENG AFT THE SELECTOR VALVE HAS BEEN MOVED FM ONE FUEL TANK POSITION TO ANOTHER IS APPROX 15 SECONDS. THE PLT WAS AWARE THAT NONE OF THE FUEL GAGES WERE WORKING ON THE ACFT.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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