Engine fuel flow began to fluctuate due to fuel line improperly tightened during installation.

Attributes
ACN	104165
Time
Date	198902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lvt
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 7400 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	104165
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On an IFR flight from greenville, sc, to saint louis, mo, we experienced a fuel flow fluctuation on the left engine. I asked center for a vector to the nearest airport. Center said the nearest airport was bowling green, ky, at 12 O'clock and 42 mi. I looked at my map and saw that livingston, in, airport was behind us and only 12 mi with a 4000' runway. Also, we would have a 40 KT tailwind going toward livingston airport. I informed center that we would go to livingston and center approved the turn. While making the left turn center cleared us to 7000'. We made a normal approach and landing. A mechanic came out to check our engine and found a fuel line which had recently been replaced had not been tightened down and had vibrated to the point of coming off. Engine failure or fire was imminent. I think fuel and oil lines should be safety wired as they are in the military.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE FUEL FLOW BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE DUE TO FUEL LINE IMPROPERLY TIGHTENED DURING INSTALLATION.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT FROM GREENVILLE, SC, TO SAINT LOUIS, MO, WE EXPERIENCED A FUEL FLOW FLUCTUATION ON THE LEFT ENG. I ASKED CENTER FOR A VECTOR TO THE NEAREST ARPT. CENTER SAID THE NEAREST ARPT WAS BOWLING GREEN, KY, AT 12 O'CLOCK AND 42 MI. I LOOKED AT MY MAP AND SAW THAT LIVINGSTON, IN, ARPT WAS BEHIND US AND ONLY 12 MI WITH A 4000' RWY. ALSO, WE WOULD HAVE A 40 KT TAILWIND GOING TOWARD LIVINGSTON ARPT. I INFORMED CENTER THAT WE WOULD GO TO LIVINGSTON AND CENTER APPROVED THE TURN. WHILE MAKING THE LEFT TURN CENTER CLRED US TO 7000'. WE MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. A MECH CAME OUT TO CHK OUR ENG AND FOUND A FUEL LINE WHICH HAD RECENTLY BEEN REPLACED HAD NOT BEEN TIGHTENED DOWN AND HAD VIBRATED TO THE POINT OF COMING OFF. ENG FAILURE OR FIRE WAS IMMINENT. I THINK FUEL AND OIL LINES SHOULD BE SAFETY WIRED AS THEY ARE IN THE MIL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.