Small aircraft pilot descended below assinged IFR altitude due to engine quitting caused by pilot inadvertently turning off the fuel instead of selecting another tank.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	518801
Time
Date	200107
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : owb.airport
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	518801
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine quit other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Engine failure due to fuel selector being inadvertently switched off. Error discovered before engine quit and proper tank (right) selected. Engine then quit and crew spent time dealing with emergency, selecting tanks and turning on boost pumps, and identing the closest airport. After a short period, engine started and ATC called asking if there was a problem. Explained what had happened and we were proceeding back to assigned altitude. ATC advised next time to let them know earlier, but that it was not a problem. WX VFR visibility unlimited.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DESCENDED BELOW ASSINGED IFR ALT DUE TO ENG QUITTING CAUSED BY PLT INADVERTENTLY TURNING OFF THE FUEL INSTEAD OF SELECTING ANOTHER TANK.

Narrative: ENG FAILURE DUE TO FUEL SELECTOR BEING INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED OFF. ERROR DISCOVERED BEFORE ENG QUIT AND PROPER TANK (R) SELECTED. ENG THEN QUIT AND CREW SPENT TIME DEALING WITH EMER, SELECTING TANKS AND TURNING ON BOOST PUMPS, AND IDENTING THE CLOSEST ARPT. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD, ENG STARTED AND ATC CALLED ASKING IF THERE WAS A PROB. EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WE WERE PROCEEDING BACK TO ASSIGNED ALT. ATC ADVISED NEXT TIME TO LET THEM KNOW EARLIER, BUT THAT IT WAS NOT A PROB. WX VFR VISIBILITY UNLIMITED.

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.