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A sightseeing helicopter pilot found the fuel gauge was showing more fuel in the tank than was really available.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 210643 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199205 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ogg |
| State Reference | HI |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 210643 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | other personnel |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
On MM/dd/92 I had many flts through the day. Each flight I noted I was using less fuel than normal. I contributed that to cooler WX and lighter loads. However, at the end of the day the refueler asked me if I was aware of the amount of fuel I was returning with. I said yes, I knew I was returning with more fuel than normal. He said no that I had been returning with less than normal. He told me that each flight I had returned with 15-20 percent. I then remembered one flight that showed 40 percent on the gauge, and that last flight showed 35 percent. At no time did the fuel warning light illuminate. I then wrote up, after evaluating the events during the day, fuel gauge stuck at 40 percent on one flight; 35 percent on another flight. Visual of tank indicated on both flts 15 percent. No fuel light illuminated.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A SIGHTSEEING HELI PLT FOUND THE FUEL GAUGE WAS SHOWING MORE FUEL IN THE TANK THAN WAS REALLY AVAILABLE.
Narrative: ON MM/DD/92 I HAD MANY FLTS THROUGH THE DAY. EACH FLT I NOTED I WAS USING LESS FUEL THAN NORMAL. I CONTRIBUTED THAT TO COOLER WX AND LIGHTER LOADS. HOWEVER, AT THE END OF THE DAY THE REFUELER ASKED ME IF I WAS AWARE OF THE AMOUNT OF FUEL I WAS RETURNING WITH. I SAID YES, I KNEW I WAS RETURNING WITH MORE FUEL THAN NORMAL. HE SAID NO THAT I HAD BEEN RETURNING WITH LESS THAN NORMAL. HE TOLD ME THAT EACH FLT I HAD RETURNED WITH 15-20 PERCENT. I THEN REMEMBERED ONE FLT THAT SHOWED 40 PERCENT ON THE GAUGE, AND THAT LAST FLT SHOWED 35 PERCENT. AT NO TIME DID THE FUEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATE. I THEN WROTE UP, AFTER EVALUATING THE EVENTS DURING THE DAY, FUEL GAUGE STUCK AT 40 PERCENT ON ONE FLT; 35 PERCENT ON ANOTHER FLT. VISUAL OF TANK INDICATED ON BOTH FLTS 15 PERCENT. NO FUEL LIGHT ILLUMINATED.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.