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A C421 single pilot noted fuel quantity indicators reading lower than normal for this phase of flight. Request expedited landing and upon landing found several tank drains leaking.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 710943 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200609 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 13000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon tower : lex.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Golden Eagle 421 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 30 |
| ASRS Report | 710943 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel qty indicators other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
I was descending IFR to ZZZ when the main gauges seemed to be reading lower than I thought they should have been for this phase of the flight. I then asked for expedited handling to ZZZ which I was given. I then asked to go to ZZZ1 which was much nearer and was cleared to approach and land. The landing went uneventfully. Because of a later discovered avionics problem; I left the plane at ZZZ1 where it was discovered that the drains for several tanks were leaking fuel slowly. I had not discovered this despite flying 6-8 hours in the plane in the last few days; and doing several preflight inspections; including draining all the tank sumps. Mechanics are working on the problem now. Although this is the second C421 I have owned; it is the first plane I have owned with nacelle tanks.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C421 SINGLE PLT NOTED FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS READING LOWER THAN NORMAL FOR THIS PHASE OF FLT. REQUEST EXPEDITED LNDG AND UPON LNDG FOUND SEVERAL TANK DRAINS LEAKING.
Narrative: I WAS DSNDING IFR TO ZZZ WHEN THE MAIN GAUGES SEEMED TO BE READING LOWER THAN I THOUGHT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR THIS PHASE OF THE FLT. I THEN ASKED FOR EXPEDITED HANDLING TO ZZZ WHICH I WAS GIVEN. I THEN ASKED TO GO TO ZZZ1 WHICH WAS MUCH NEARER AND WAS CLRED TO APCH AND LAND. THE LNDG WENT UNEVENTFULLY. BECAUSE OF A LATER DISCOVERED AVIONICS PROB; I LEFT THE PLANE AT ZZZ1 WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE DRAINS FOR SEVERAL TANKS WERE LEAKING FUEL SLOWLY. I HAD NOT DISCOVERED THIS DESPITE FLYING 6-8 HRS IN THE PLANE IN THE LAST FEW DAYS; AND DOING SEVERAL PREFLT INSPECTIONS; INCLUDING DRAINING ALL THE TANK SUMPS. MECHS ARE WORKING ON THE PROB NOW. ALTHOUGH THIS IS THE SECOND C421 I HAVE OWNED; IT IS THE FIRST PLANE I HAVE OWNED WITH NACELLE TANKS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.