A good warning to anyone about the hazards of not using av gas.Clogged filter caused plane crash: investigator; Pilot suffered only minor injuries last week
RAYMOND BOWE
Local News - Wednesday, June 27, 2007 @ 07:00
Bad gas is partly to blame for causing a small plane to stall and drop from the sky last week, investigators say.
"It was fuel starvation caused by a clogged fuel filter," Peter Rowntree, a senior regional investigator with the Transportation Safety Board, said yesterday from Richmond Hill, adding such circumstances in home-built aircraft are not uncommon.
An Arthur man had just taken off from Huronia Airport in his single-engine SeaRey aircraft last Friday morning when he encountered engine failure.
He was able to deploy a parachute that dampened the plane's fall into a stand of trees near the airport.
The pilot sustained minor leg injuries from kicking out the windshield.
The plane was powered by regular gasoline, as opposed to special aviation fuel.
"With these little guys (planes), they'll have jerry cans full of gas that is usually not filtered, so you run the risk of contamination," said Rowntree, who interviewed the pilot yesterday. Due to the minor nature of the crash and the pilot's injuries, the TSB didn't launch an official investigation but did gather information for its database, Rowntree said.
The $75,000 plane was equipped with a parachute system in case of emergency, which is becoming more common on small aircraft, Rowntree said.
"It probably helped in this instance," he said, "but he also maintained control as well as he could."
The pilot was able to navigate away from power lines, Rowntree said, and float slowly down into a wooded area. And because of the aircraft's amphibious design, the hull was especially strong, he added, and could withstand any blunt force to the underbelly.
"The parachute slowed him down enough and then the trees absorbed some of the impact," Rowntree said.
Clogged filter caused plane crash
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Clogged filter caused plane crash
Former Advocate for Floatplane Safety
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wrench turner
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Ive lost count of all the little red picecs of plastic and sand I've pulled from the fuel bowl of small aircraft; common problem with small operators and private owners, avgas and mogas alike. people remove that little filter that comes with the funnel because the jerry can is heavy to hold on a ladder and dont want to wait for the gas to filter. pilots should lift more weights instead of control yolks 
I guess we won't worry about the fact that it eats the gaskets in certified engines. I guess we won't worry about the fact that it has problems with altitude. I guess we won't worry about the fact that the engines (on real airplanes) were never certified to use it.CID wrote:MOGAS is just fine. It's the delivery technique that is at issue here. If I filled up an old jerry can with AVGAS and poured it in the tank without using proper care and a filter the same thing can happen.A good warning to anyone about the hazards of not using av gas.
A simple statement as you have done is so wrong. Mogas is NOT just fine. It does work in some situations but not all.. Get your facts straight.
The Use of Automobile Gasoline (MOGAS) in Aviation
AMA 549.9 - Use Of Automotive Gasoline In Aircraft Engines
AMA 549.9 - Use Of Automotive Gasoline In Aircraft Engines
Did you read CD's links?Inverted2 wrote:You just have to make sure it doesn't have ethanol in it. Ethanol is the worst stuff for gaskets, seals, and other plastic and rubber parts. I believe Shell Premium fuel is designated ethanol free.
Former Advocate for Floatplane Safety
Yes I have actually. I use a 50/50 mix of 100LL and Mogas. I never use straight mogas, and using straight 100LL also causes its own problems in some smaller Continental/Lycoming engines. Ive been doing it for years, and have never had any problems, but yes I agree you have to be more diligent when doing this but if it was that dangerous there would be planes crashing every day because with the cost of 100LL now, you'll know why private owners have switched to auto fuel.
P.S. Last time I checked 100LL was near 1.50 a liter which is making recreational flying almost out of the hands of the average person. I also run my fuel through a filter before fueling the aircraft.
P.S. Last time I checked 100LL was near 1.50 a liter which is making recreational flying almost out of the hands of the average person. I also run my fuel through a filter before fueling the aircraft.
twotter,
My statement is accurate. The issue we are discussing is contamination.
MOGAS is just fine just as long as its used on an engine its approved for. I certainly wasn't condoning it's use on every engine. I'm sure if I said "GPS is just fine" you wouldn't have moaned but obviously it's not "just fine" if the installation isn't approved.
By the way. You might want to review the "strawman" thread. Your statement is textbook strawman.
My statement is accurate. The issue we are discussing is contamination.
MOGAS is just fine just as long as its used on an engine its approved for. I certainly wasn't condoning it's use on every engine. I'm sure if I said "GPS is just fine" you wouldn't have moaned but obviously it's not "just fine" if the installation isn't approved.
By the way. You might want to review the "strawman" thread. Your statement is textbook strawman.
