Emergency off airport landing performed by pilot of small transport after aircraft fuel equipment pr...

Attributes
ACN	231076
Time
Date	199301
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	231076
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

The #2 engine fuel light came on. Then I switched the fuel selector to the rear auxiliary tank. The fuel pressure light did not go out. I switched the fuel selector to the main tanks, and opened the xfeed valve. The right fuel pressure light remained on. A few mins later the left fuel pressure light came on. A short time later the left engine quit running. I located a field, and landed the aircraft. I notified the proper authorities. The FAA representative instructed me to have the aircraft inspected by a certified mechanic, and I did. I drained the gascolators. Put in new fuel. Restarted the aircraft. I did the proper preflight checks. Obtained the proper permission, and departed from a nearby road. The problem was discovered when the fuel lights came on. Tanks were switched rear tanks, then switched back to main tanks, boost pump on, the xfeed opened. Landing site picked. Flaps as required. Gear down. Engines feathered. Fuel off. Mixture idle cutoff. I landed the aircraft. Contributory was: water in xfeed line. Air cavitation of xfeed system caused during switching tanks, trapping air in the fuel system. Possible water in fuel. Pressure drain xfeed system periodically. A. Boost pump on. B. Opposite tank off. C. Gascolator valves open. D. Check fuel sample.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER OFF ARPT LNDG PERFORMED BY PLT OF SMT AFTER ACFT FUEL EQUIP PROB DEVELOPS WITH INFLT ENG SHUTDOWNS. FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: THE #2 ENG FUEL LIGHT CAME ON. THEN I SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE REAR AUX TANK. THE FUEL PRESSURE LIGHT DID NOT GO OUT. I SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE MAIN TANKS, AND OPENED THE XFEED VALVE. THE R FUEL PRESSURE LIGHT REMAINED ON. A FEW MINS LATER THE L FUEL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON. A SHORT TIME LATER THE L ENG QUIT RUNNING. I LOCATED A FIELD, AND LANDED THE ACFT. I NOTIFIED THE PROPER AUTHORITIES. THE FAA REPRESENTATIVE INSTRUCTED ME TO HAVE THE ACFT INSPECTED BY A CERTIFIED MECH, AND I DID. I DRAINED THE GASCOLATORS. PUT IN NEW FUEL. RESTARTED THE ACFT. I DID THE PROPER PREFLT CHKS. OBTAINED THE PROPER PERMISSION, AND DEPARTED FROM A NEARBY ROAD. THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED WHEN THE FUEL LIGHTS CAME ON. TANKS WERE SWITCHED REAR TANKS, THEN SWITCHED BACK TO MAIN TANKS, BOOST PUMP ON, THE XFEED OPENED. LNDG SITE PICKED. FLAPS AS REQUIRED. GEAR DOWN. ENGS FEATHERED. FUEL OFF. MIXTURE IDLE CUTOFF. I LANDED THE ACFT. CONTRIBUTORY WAS: WATER IN XFEED LINE. AIR CAVITATION OF XFEED SYS CAUSED DURING SWITCHING TANKS, TRAPPING AIR IN THE FUEL SYS. POSSIBLE WATER IN FUEL. PRESSURE DRAIN XFEED SYS PERIODICALLY. A. BOOST PUMP ON. B. OPPOSITE TANK OFF. C. GASCOLATOR VALVES OPEN. D. CHK FUEL SAMPLE.

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.

Emergency off airport landing performed by pilot of small transport after aircraft fuel equipment problem develops with in-flight engine shutdowns. Fuel starvation.