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A PA31 pilot conducting a post engine change test flight uploaded too little fuel for the test maneuvers and fuel starved one engine on approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 740299 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200705 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 8600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 370 |
| ASRS Report | 740299 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Chain of events: second test flight after annual and install of 1 'new' engine in twin. Fuel load kept to a minimum as a precaution. Flts done in vicinity of airport. Upon return to airport; request for practice GPS approach granted by tower. On approach and descent; lost power to 1 engine; feathered propeller; restart failed; landed uneventfully (on 1 engine). Human performance considerations: fuel calculation done based on our usual 16 gph per engine; however; fuel consumption was to be at 24 gph for engine break in. Stupid me. Fuel starvation was likely cause of power loss as mechanic found no issues after landing. I won't make that mistake again!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PA31 PILOT CONDUCTING A POST ENGINE CHANGE TEST FLT UPLOADED TOO LITTLE FUEL FOR THE TEST MANEUVERS AND FUEL STARVED ONE ENGINE ON APCH.
Narrative: CHAIN OF EVENTS: SECOND TEST FLT AFTER ANNUAL AND INSTALL OF 1 'NEW' ENG IN TWIN. FUEL LOAD KEPT TO A MINIMUM AS A PRECAUTION. FLTS DONE IN VICINITY OF ARPT. UPON RETURN TO ARPT; REQUEST FOR PRACTICE GPS APCH GRANTED BY TWR. ON APCH AND DSCNT; LOST PWR TO 1 ENG; FEATHERED PROP; RESTART FAILED; LANDED UNEVENTFULLY (ON 1 ENG). HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: FUEL CALCULATION DONE BASED ON OUR USUAL 16 GPH PER ENG; HOWEVER; FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS TO BE AT 24 GPH FOR ENG BREAK IN. STUPID ME. FUEL STARVATION WAS LIKELY CAUSE OF PWR LOSS AS MECH FOUND NO ISSUES AFTER LNDG. I WON'T MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN!
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.