Ran out of Gas/Fuel Mismanagement Thread

[pelmet]

From TSB via Google Translate......

CF-CEZ, a privately registered American Aviation AA-5 aircraft, was on a flight
under visual flight rules, from Ottawa/Gatineau Airport, Gatineau, QC (CYND) to destination
from the disused Lake Nilgaut airfield located approximately 97 Nm northwest of CYND, with
on board the pilot and a passenger. On the return flight to CYND, descending to 4500 ft, the
pilot declared an emergency, following fuel starvation, and made a landing in a
fields about 20NM NW of CYND. The aircraft sustained substantial damage
but the occupants were not injured.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/s ... -1.6929302

[BBALFE]

I own a Wilga PZL 104 M 2000 C-GELX based out of Courtenay Airpark. On Floats. I have to fill up both tanks before each flight as gauges and senders are very inaccurate. I have a JPI Fuel computer but fine it difficult to read due to location and not very user friendly. Hoping to replace fuel computer soon.

[pelmet]

We had a similar assumption thing once on a turboprop in my company. The crew departed home base without enough fuel in one main tank but the guage showing the proper level. At the outstation, the guage started working properly and showed not enough fuel in it. The crew assumed that the guage had been working properly and then became faulty when in fact it had been faulty and became accurate. A low fuel light on the way back to destination confirmed that the guage was now accurate. No dipping/dripping done as it was a remote station and apparently it is not easy to do on that type.

That is the question to ask yourself when a fuel guage suddenly starts giving a different indication....was it faulty before and back to normal or was it normal before and faulty now.


Test Pilot School aircraft..........

"C-FIYQ, a Cessna 414 owned and operated by ITPS Canada Ltd., was conducting a flight from
Montréal-Mirabel International Airport (CYMX), Quebec, to London International Airport (CYXU),
Ontario, with one pilot and one passenger on board. The aircraft had been recently purchased by
ITPS Canada Ltd.; the purpose of this flight was to bring the aircraft to its new home base at
CYXU. During cruise flight at 3000 feet ASL, and approximately 8nm NNE of CYXU, both engines
stopped producing power. The pilot made a forced landing in a bean field, there were no injuries
and no damage observed to the aircraft.
Before leaving CYMX, the pilot had requested that the fuel tanks be filled, and records indicate that
46 gallons of fuel had been added to the fuel tanks by a fueler who was familiar with this particular
aircraft, although the pilot had not checked the quantity before fueling took place. The pilot did not
physically check the fuel levels before departure, and although the fuel gauges showed less than
full tanks, the pilot proceeded under the assumption that they were displaying an incorrect quantity.
Initial examination of the aircraft revealed no damage, and the aircraft was brought via ground
transportation to a hangar at CYXU, where the maintenance is conducting a detailed check of the
aircraft.
The safety officer for the company has initiated an SMS investigation into this event."

From TSB

[pelmet]

From TSB......

C-GRCA, a Cessna 152 operated by AFS Aerial Photography, was conducting a photo flight west
of Lethbridge, Alberta (CYQL). After approximately 5 hours of flight time, the engine (AVCO
LYCOMING, O-235-L2C) began to lose power and the aircraft started to descend. The pilot
adjusted the throttle and mixture, applied carburetor heat but was unable to restore engine power.
A forced approach and landing was performed on a gravel road approximately 26 nm WNW of
CYQL. During the landing roll, the right outer wing made contact with a road sign post and
significantly damaged the leading edge.
Post occurrence, the aircraft was defueled for transport and revealed only unusable fuel in both the
left- and right-wing fuel tanks.

[pelmet]

Been a while since I flew a V-tail Bonanza and am trying to remember where the fuel selector is located.

On 10 August 2023, the privately registered Beechcraft Bonanza A35 (C-FKVI) was enroute from
the Indus/Winters Aire Park Airport (CFY4), Alberta to the High River Airport (CEN4), Alberta for an
annual maintenance inspection. Onboard was the pilot-in-command (PIC) and a second pilot.
While on the downwind leg of the circuit at CEN4, the PIC initiated the pre-landing check, which
was carried out by the second pilot seated in the right front seat. During the pre-landing check, the
second pilot attempted to verify fuel selector position by feel since it was not visible due to the
forward position of the PIC's seat. The second pilot inadvertently selected the fuel selector position
to the OFF position. A few moments later, as the aircraft was turning final, at low altitude, the
engine lost power due to fuel starvation. At 1543 Mountain Daylight Time, the PIC executed a
forced landing in a farmer's field approximately 1 nautical mile east of CEN4. During the landing,
the aircraft struck a fence, and sustained substantial damage. Shortly after the forced landing,
police and emergency medical services attended the scene. Both occupants suffered minor injuries
and were transported to hospital by ground ambulance. The emergency locator transmitter
activated and a distress signal was detected by the search and rescue satellite system.

....From TSB.

[Turboprops]

From TSB......

C-GRCA, a Cessna 152 operated by AFS Aerial Photography, was conducting a photo flight west
of Lethbridge, Alberta (CYQL). After approximately 5 hours of flight time, the engine (AVCO
LYCOMING, O-235-L2C) began to lose power and the aircraft started to descend. The pilot
adjusted the throttle and mixture, applied carburetor heat but was unable to restore engine power.
A forced approach and landing was performed on a gravel road approximately 26 nm WNW of
CYQL. During the landing roll, the right outer wing made contact with a road sign post and
significantly damaged the leading edge.
Post occurrence, the aircraft was defueled for transport and revealed only unusable fuel in both the
left- and right-wing fuel tanks.

Sorry I’m not quite familiar with using the TSB website, can I get a link of this report? This is the same airplane that crashed on Aug 28

[SeptRepair]

From TSB......

C-GRCA, a Cessna 152 operated by AFS Aerial Photography, was conducting a photo flight west
of Lethbridge, Alberta (CYQL). After approximately 5 hours of flight time, the engine (AVCO
LYCOMING, O-235-L2C) began to lose power and the aircraft started to descend. The pilot
adjusted the throttle and mixture, applied carburetor heat but was unable to restore engine power.
A forced approach and landing was performed on a gravel road approximately 26 nm WNW of
CYQL. During the landing roll, the right outer wing made contact with a road sign post and
significantly damaged the leading edge.
Post occurrence, the aircraft was defueled for transport and revealed only unusable fuel in both the
left- and right-wing fuel tanks.

Sorry I’m not quite familiar with using the TSB website, can I get a link of this report? This is the same airplane that crashed on Aug 28

The one in Claresholm with the young lady?

[Turboprops]

From TSB......

C-GRCA, a Cessna 152 operated by AFS Aerial Photography, was conducting a photo flight west
of Lethbridge, Alberta (CYQL). After approximately 5 hours of flight time, the engine (AVCO
LYCOMING, O-235-L2C) began to lose power and the aircraft started to descend. The pilot
adjusted the throttle and mixture, applied carburetor heat but was unable to restore engine power.
A forced approach and landing was performed on a gravel road approximately 26 nm WNW of
CYQL. During the landing roll, the right outer wing made contact with a road sign post and
significantly damaged the leading edge.
Post occurrence, the aircraft was defueled for transport and revealed only unusable fuel in both the
left- and right-wing fuel tanks.

Sorry I’m not quite familiar with using the TSB website, can I get a link of this report? This is the same airplane that crashed on Aug 28

The one in Claresholm with the young lady?

Yup, I’m trying to find info about this whole run out of fuel then crashed a couple weeks later event.

[pelmet]

C-FNWZ, a privately registered Cessna 152, departed on a VFR flight from Calgary/Springbank
(CYBW), AB, to Moose Jaw Municipal (CJS4), SK. Upon arrival at CJS4, the pilot was informed
that the airspace around CJS4 was closed by NOTAM G2435/23 for a practice airshow and was
asked to hold. The pilot indicated that there was enough fuel onboard to hold. When the practice
airshow was complete, C-FNWZ maneuvered to land at CJS4. When approximately 4 nm from
Runway 13, the engine sputtered (Avco Lycoming, O-235-L2C). The pilot subsequently landed the
aircraft in a field short of Runway 13. There was no damage to the aircraft and no injuries to the
pilot or passenger. After landing, the pilot informed ATC that they had landed in a field and
emergency services were dispatched. The pilot then carried out an inspection, refueled the aircraft,
and departed the field and landed safely at CJS4.

[pelmet]

From TSB....

C-GCGX, a privately registered float-equipped Cessna A185F aircraft was conducting a post-
maintenance test flight from Gods Lake, MB, approximately 3 nm east of Gods Lake Narrows

Airport (CYGO), MB. The aircraft was being operated on the left fuel tank only due to minimum
fuel. While turning to a final approach to the lake, the aircraft was banked sharply to the left and the
engine (Teledyne Continental IO-520-D) abruptly lost power. The aircraft landed short of the
intended landing area in a stand of trees. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured.
The aircraft was substantially damaged.

[TeePeeCreeper]

From TSB....

C-GCGX, a privately registered float-equipped Cessna A185F aircraft was conducting a post-
maintenance test flight from Gods Lake, MB, approximately 3 nm east of Gods Lake Narrows

Airport (CYGO), MB. The aircraft was being operated on the left fuel tank only due to minimum
fuel. While turning to a final approach to the lake, the aircraft was banked sharply to the left and the
engine (Teledyne Continental IO-520-D) abruptly lost power. The aircraft landed short of the
intended landing area in a stand of trees. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured.
The aircraft was substantially damaged.

What the hell were they thinking?

[pdw]

The intention may not have been to apply as much bank as seems to have occurred in the “sharply” executed turn final. Minimum bank angle pretty much keeps unuseable fuel at minimum. At what exact point of low fuel a line picks up air (when too low of a fuellevel swishes sharply over to the low side of the fuel cell it is drawing from) is left up to the imagination …. as to ‘how low can you go’.

[pelmet]

From TSB via Google Translate...


C-GPZS, a Cessna A185E on amphibious floats in private operation was carrying out a visual flight
from Lac St-Charles in Saint-Charles-de-Bellechasse, QC to the airport of
Dolbeau-St-Félicien, QC (CYDO) with the pilot and a passenger on board. When approaching CYDO
when the aircraft was at an altitude of approximately 1200 feet, the pilot felt a loss of
engine power and was unable to restore power. The pilot then attempted a
forced landing. The aircraft made contact with the ground approximately 1000 feet from
threshold of runway 29 and was heavily damaged. The pilot was not injured and the passenger was
suffered minor injuries. The aircraft came to rest on its right side and fuel was dripping
of the wing vent. Approximately 10 gallons of fuel were recovered from the right wing and the wing
left was empty. The fuel selector was in the “Both” position and the fuel drain container
Front fuel filter was empty when checked.

Could be a maintenance issue.

[pelmet]

From TSB via Google Translate....

C-GUCT, a Cessna A185F operated by the General and Vocational Education College of
Chicoutimi, was carrying out a local training flight under visual flight rules from the airport of
Chicoutimi - Saint-Honoré, QC (CYRC) with 2 student pilots and 1 instructor on board. A breakdown
engine occurred while the aircraft was on a left base approach for runway 12 at a
height of about 600 feet. The instructor took over the controls from one of the student pilots at this
moment and performed engine failure procedures with no engine response. The instructor has
then made an emergency call to air traffic service and notified the students
pilots to take the safety position for a forced landing in the trees. The instructor has
made a full opening of the flaps and landed the aircraft in the trees where it came to rest
in a right-leaning position approximately 15 feet off the ground. The 3 occupants were not
injured and were able to get out on their own. The aircraft suffered significant damage. One of the
gas tank caps were found open and approximately 5 gallons of gasoline could have been
recovered from the aircraft's fuel tanks. An engine test was carried out once the aircraft had been recovered and
the engine was able to start normally.

Do a final check guys, just before getting into the aircraft. A final quick look and takes 30 seconds.

[TeePeeCreeper]

From TSB via Google Translate....

C-GUCT, a Cessna A185F operated by the General and Vocational Education College of
Chicoutimi, was carrying out a local training flight under visual flight rules from the airport of
Chicoutimi - Saint-Honoré, QC (CYRC) with 2 student pilots and 1 instructor on board. A breakdown
engine occurred while the aircraft was on a left base approach for runway 12 at a
height of about 600 feet. The instructor took over the controls from one of the student pilots at this
moment and performed engine failure procedures with no engine response. The instructor has
then made an emergency call to air traffic service and notified the students
pilots to take the safety position for a forced landing in the trees. The instructor has
made a full opening of the flaps and landed the aircraft in the trees where it came to rest
in a right-leaning position approximately 15 feet off the ground. The 3 occupants were not
injured and were able to get out on their own. The aircraft suffered significant damage. One of the
gas tank caps were found open and approximately 5 gallons of gasoline could have been
recovered from the aircraft's fuel tanks. An engine test was carried out once the aircraft had been recovered and
the engine was able to start normally.

Do a final check guys, just before getting into the aircraft. A final quick look and takes 30 seconds.

Agreed. A last quick DI, even if it’s just a quick 350 glance for pitots, chalks, gear pins and caps seems normal to me.

The accident you brought up happened to a very experienced and highly respected pilot who was already the CP for the biggest seaplane operator in the province of Quebec when I first befriended him over 20 some odd years ago.

He’d never bent any metal before this event. This was supposed to be his last gig before hanging up his hat.

This guy wasn’t your typical 300 hour instructor. He was a gentleman of much experience. If it happened to him…

TPC

[pelmet]

From TSB via Google Translate....

C-GUCT, a Cessna A185F operated by the General and Vocational Education College of
Chicoutimi, was carrying out a local training flight under visual flight rules from the airport of
Chicoutimi - Saint-Honoré, QC (CYRC) with 2 student pilots and 1 instructor on board. A breakdown
engine occurred while the aircraft was on a left base approach for runway 12 at a
height of about 600 feet. The instructor took over the controls from one of the student pilots at this
moment and performed engine failure procedures with no engine response. The instructor has
then made an emergency call to air traffic service and notified the students
pilots to take the safety position for a forced landing in the trees. The instructor has
made a full opening of the flaps and landed the aircraft in the trees where it came to rest
in a right-leaning position approximately 15 feet off the ground. The 3 occupants were not
injured and were able to get out on their own. The aircraft suffered significant damage. One of the
gas tank caps were found open and approximately 5 gallons of gasoline could have been
recovered from the aircraft's fuel tanks. An engine test was carried out once the aircraft had been recovered and
the engine was able to start normally.

Do a final check guys, just before getting into the aircraft. A final quick look and takes 30 seconds.

Agreed. A last quick DI, even if it’s just a quick 350 glance for pitots, chalks, gear pins and caps seems normal to me.

The accident you brought up happened to a very experienced and highly respected pilot who was already the CP for the biggest seaplane operator in the province of Quebec when I first befriended him over 20 some odd years ago.

He’d never bent any metal before this event. This was supposed to be his last gig before hanging up his hat.

This guy wasn’t your typical 300 hour instructor. He was a gentleman of much experience. If it happened to him…

TPC

Thanks for the further info. These accidents to super-experienced guys do happen occasionally. I have met or known two of them. One had loads of experience and hit trees on his very last scheduled flight. He was apparently given one more so the accident would not be his last one. Another guy had an unbelievable piloting background and admitted freely that he missed a checklist item which wrote off a very expensive aircraft. Due to a loss of medical, it was his last flight.

If it can happen to them, it can happen to us. Double checking certain critical items can save the day.

Flying certain types of operations, where multiple starts and stops during the day can increase risk. One might do ten flights in a day for skydiving operations with the engine being shut down and piloting exiting the aircraft each time. A full walk-around is unlikely to be done between each flight. But when returning to the aircraft after having exited, why not take the long way around to the door and look at the aircraft instead of just looking at the door as you walk straight to it. A thousand flights will probably pass where you saw nothing out of the ordinary, then perhaps, something that is not right will be noticed, like the fuel cap on the flight in Chicoutimi. I say that as someone who has forgotten to put on a fuel cap.

[airway]

From TSB....

C-GCGX, a privately registered float-equipped Cessna A185F aircraft was conducting a post-
maintenance test flight from Gods Lake, MB, approximately 3 nm east of Gods Lake Narrows

Airport (CYGO), MB. The aircraft was being operated on the left fuel tank only due to minimum
fuel. While turning to a final approach to the lake, the aircraft was banked sharply to the left and the
engine (Teledyne Continental IO-520-D) abruptly lost power. The aircraft landed short of the
intended landing area in a stand of trees. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured.
The aircraft was substantially damaged.

What the hell were they thinking?

Yes. Maybe the low fuel situation was unavoidable, but they should have avoided left turns if they thought the right tank was empty. Also, if for some reason you are worried about running out of gas before you can get on the ground in a high wing Cessna, why not run the fuel selector in "BOTH", especially if you are maneuvering at low altitude, even if you think one tank is empty/low and turn on the electric fuel pump (if it has one). Maybe you could get some cross feeding if you bank right, or you could get a little more fuel out of the empty tank, if you do bank left. The "LEFT" and "RIGHT" selections usually say "LEVEL FLIGHT ONLY" for a reason.

This is why you don't want to let a tank run dry if you only have one tank in each wing, and no simple cross feed capability. I have heard of some pilots letting a tank run dry, so they could estimate how much longer they could fly with the other tank. Hopefully you can plan the flight so you don't have to resort to this.







.

[pelmet]

From TSB.....

C-GEHM, a Piper PA28-180 registered to Millennium Aviation Ltd., was conducting a VFR flight
from Saskatoon/John G. Diefenbaker International Airport (CYXE), SK, to North Battleford Airport
(CYQW), SK. Weather conditions enroute were reported to be conducive to carburetor icing and
the carburetor heat function had been used during the flight. At 23:17Z and approximately 21
nautical miles west-northwest of CYXE, while enroute to CYQW, C-GEHM experienced a loss of
engine power. The carburetor heat function was reported to not have any effect on the loss of
power. The pilot declared an emergency and proceeded to land on a road. During the landing roll,
the aircraft drifted into the snow filled ditch. There were no injuries. There was no fire but the
aircraft sustained substantial damage.
A post-occurrence inspection of the aircraft by the operator revealed the fuel selector was selected
to the left tank and an inspection of the left tank indicated that there was no fuel.

[pilotidentity]

regarding the C185 fuel cap off, my first job I fuelled a lot with jerry cans. I forgot the fuel cap when I went down off the wing for another can and then decided I didn’t need more fuel. Noticed one fuel gauge low after a bit of flying and right away knew what it was and landed ok. Came up with a rule I still use today, before leaving the refuel area for any reason put the cap on, its so easy to take it off again if needed.