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An atx PA32-320 pilot nearly ran a tank dry while preparing for an imminent ramp check. Pilot distraction from flying and checking for possible aircraft equipment problem documentation and safety equipment.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 343182 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199608 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jnu |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : jnu |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| 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 : 200 flight time total : 780 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 343182 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
My dispatcher told me an FAA inspector would be meeting me upon landing for a ramp check. I was too busy, checking the aircraft documentation and life jacket expiration dates, to notice my fuel was low on the tank I was using. The engine began to run rough. I immediately switched tanks and turned on the electric fuel pump. The engine never quit entirely, but it ran rough for 8 seconds. I landed without further incident. Contributing factors: distracted by impending ramp check, and failure to conduct landing checklist before descent.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ATX PA32-320 PLT NEARLY RAN A TANK DRY WHILE PREPARING FOR AN IMMINENT RAMP CHK. PLT DISTR FROM FLYING AND CHECKING FOR POSSIBLE ACFT EQUIP PROB DOCUMENTATION AND SAFETY EQUIP.
Narrative: MY DISPATCHER TOLD ME AN FAA INSPECTOR WOULD BE MEETING ME UPON LNDG FOR A RAMP CHK. I WAS TOO BUSY, CHKING THE ACFT DOCUMENTATION AND LIFE JACKET EXPIRATION DATES, TO NOTICE MY FUEL WAS LOW ON THE TANK I WAS USING. THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED TANKS AND TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. THE ENG NEVER QUIT ENTIRELY, BUT IT RAN ROUGH FOR 8 SECONDS. I LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: DISTRACTED BY IMPENDING RAMP CHK, AND FAILURE TO CONDUCT LNDG CHKLIST BEFORE DSCNT.
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.