GASCOLATOR DRAIN LOCKED OPEN. ENG QUIT AT 100 FT.

1991-10 · NASA ASRS report 192811

Date: 1991-10 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|other-unspecified

Synopsis

GASCOLATOR DRAIN LOCKED OPEN. ENG QUIT AT 100 FT.

Narrative

ENG QUIT ON TKOF 100 FT ABOVE GND. INSTRUCTOR ON BOARD MANAGED TO COAX ENOUGH PWR FROM ENG BY JIGGLING WITH THROTTLE TO MAKE 180 DEG TURN AND LAND. STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR TAXIED BACK TO MAINT HANGAR. FUEL WAS OBSERVED DRIPPING FROM GASCOLATOR DRAIN VALVE ON L LOWER SIDE OF BOTTOM COWL. THERE WAS ALSO A LARGE BLUE FUEL STAIN TRAILING AFT FROM FUEL DRAIN VALVE ALONG COWL AND ON TOP AND BOTTOM OF L WING ROOT. THE FUEL DRAIN VALVE Y WAS FOUND LOCKED IN THE OPEN POS; ALLOWING SUCTION OF FUEL AWAY FROM THE CARB AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF PWR. MANUFACTURER OF DRAIN VALVE OFFERS; AMONG ITS VARIOUS PRODUCTS; A LOCKING DRAIN VALVE; Y; WITH A 90 DEG LOCKING FEATURE; AND IN A SIMILAR SIZE THE X WITH A NONLOCKING SPIRAL FEATURE FOR OPENING THE VALVE. A LOOK AT THE MANUFACTURER PARTS MANUAL FOR THE SMA MODEL SHOWED THE FOLLOWING ON 7 492-312 VALVE Y DRAIN X. ALL OTHER SINGLE ENG SMA PARTS MANUALS SHOW ONLY THE Y VALVE FOR THE GASCOLATOR DRAIN. BASED UPON THE ABOVE DESCRIBED NEAR ACCIDENT; I BELIEVE THAT ONLY THE X SHOULD BE INSTALLED ON GASCOLATORS ON WHICH DRAIN VALVES ARE INSTALLED. ALSO; MANUFACTURER ACFT CORP; SHOULD CLARIFY THE SMA PARTS MANUAL TO SHOW WHICH DRAIN VALVE IS REQUIRED TO BE INSTALLED IN THE GASCOLATOR. I RECOMMEND THAT MANUFACTURER SHOULD CHANGE ITS PARTS MANUALS TO SHOW THE X DRAIN VALVE IN ALL GASCOLATORS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS THAT COULD RESULT FROM IMPROPER SECURING OF THE Y DRAIN VALVES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES PROBLEM DEVELOPED BECAUSE STUDENT FORGOT THE ENG DRAIN. INSTRUCTOR SAID GET OUT AND CHK IT. INSTRUCTOR NOT THERE TO MAKE SURE VALVE CLOSED. RPTR SAID IF THERE HAD BEEN AN ACCIDENT NO ONE WOULD HAVE KNOWN WHY AS THE VALVE WOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE POPPED CLOSED. HE IS REPLACING VALVES WITH THOSE THAT AUTO CLOSE ON ALL FBO ACFT.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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