INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN -- OFF ARPT LNDG -- PLT MISMANAGES FUEL SELECTOR SHUTTING DOWN BOTH ENGS.

Date: 1995-08 · Aircraft: PA-23-250 Aztec

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|other-unspecified

Synopsis

INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN -- OFF ARPT LNDG -- PLT MISMANAGES FUEL SELECTOR SHUTTING DOWN BOTH ENGS.

Narrative

UPON LEVELING OFF FROM MY DSCNT OF 7000 FT MSL TO 3000 FT MSL; I HELD 3000 FT FOR ABOUT 5 MI. THE R ENG THEN SURGED TWICE AND QUIT ALL TOGETHER. I WENT THROUGH MY RESTART PROCS; BUT NOTHING SEEMED TO GET THE ENG BACK. THEN THE L ENG BEGAN TO ACT UP; YET CONTINUED TO RUN. THE OUTBOARD AND INBOARD WRITING WAS WORN TO WHERE YOU COULD BARELY READ THEM; HOWEVER; THE WORDS 'MAIN' WERE CLRLY VISIBLE. WHEN I LOOKED DOWN; I SAW THAT THE TANKS WERE ON THE MAIN POS AND HAVING BEEN TOPPED OFF AND ONLY FLYING FOR APPROX 1 1/2 HRS; I KNEW I HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH FUEL TO REACH MONROE; ONLY 10 MI AHEAD. THE SOLUTION WAS SIMPLE IN RETROSPECT; 'MOVE THE FUEL LEVERS!' FROM THIS POS OR PHASE OF FLT; I THEN LANDED ON A SMALL GOLF COURSE OUTSIDE OF MONROE. 2 THINGS TO DO TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE WOULD BE TO: RE-FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE ACFT YOU ARE FLYING AND KNOW HOW THE SYS OPERATES BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS. THE OBVIOUS MAY NOT BE AS OBVIOUS AS ONE MAY SEEM TO THINK. TO ELIMINATE SOME DEGREE OF CONFUSION ON THE FUEL SYS; SIMPLY MARK THE FUEL SELECTORS AS INBOARD AND OUTBOARD INSTEAD OF MAINS. WHEN LOOKING DOWN IT IS HARD TO SEE THE WORDS INBOARD AND OUTBOARD WHEN THEY ARE WORN YOU CAN ONLY SEE MAIN. MAKE INBOARD AND OUTBOARD BIGGER. BE BETTER PREPARED AND NOT IN SUCH A HURRY TO JUMP IN THE ACFT. I HOPE THIS INCIDENT WILL NOT BE REPEATED IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF WHAT I HAVE TOLD YOU. I AM JUST SORRY A DIFFICULT SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED THROUGH JUST PLAIN COMMON SENSE.

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