C340 PLT HAD #2 ENG FAIL DUE TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS AT GRB.

Date: 2001-05 · Aircraft: Cessna 340/340A

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|inflight-event-encounter-weather-turbulence|inflight-event-encounter-other-unknown|other-fuel-mgmnt-inadequate-reserve-fuel

Synopsis

C340 PLT HAD #2 ENG FAIL DUE TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS AT GRB.

Narrative

WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO 63C (ADAMS COUNTY) BUT CHANGED OUR DEST TO GRB DUE TO A PRIOR DIVERSION FOR TSTM AVOIDANCE. TOTAL FUEL ON BOARD AT TKOF WAS 180 GALLONS USABLE. BURN WAS AT 28 GPH TOTAL. WE WERE AT FL190 AND CLRED TO DSND. WE BROKE OUT OF THE OVCST AT 9000 FT MSL. AT 2500 FT MSL; WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH BY GRB APCH CTL (TWR CLOSED). ON FINAL; AT APPROX 600 FT AGL (1200 FT MSL); THE R ENG LOST PWR. I FOLLOWED THE EMER RESTART PROC OF CHANGING FROM THE R MAIN TANK TO THE R AUX TANK AND SWITCHED THE AUX FUEL PUMP FROM LOW TO HIGH WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS AT RESTARTING. AT THAT TIME; THE RPM WAS TOO SLOW TO GO INTO FEATHER AND WE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT TO MAKE IT TO THE RWY. WE LANDED IN CTL IN THE 'SAFE' ZONE OF RWY 18. ON THIS FLT; AS MOST ALL LONG FLTS; THE FUEL MGMNT OF THE C340 IS PLANNED. I RUN 2 HRS OUT OF THE MAINS; THEN 50 MINS OUT OF THE AUXS (WHERE OVERFLOW STILL RETURNS TO EACH RESPECTIVE ENG'S TIP OR MAIN TANK). AFTER 50 MINS (WHICH LEAVES FUEL IN THE AUXS SO THE BLADDERS TO DO NOT DRY OUT); THE R ENG IS SWITCHED TO THE R TIP (MAIN) TANK AND THE L ENG IS ALSO SWITCHED TO THE R TIP TANK. THE R NACELLE TANK (20 GALLONS) XFER PUMP IS TURNED ON SO THE FUEL IS XFERRED TO THE R TIP TANK. AFTER 15 MINS; THE L ENG IS SWITCHED TO THE L TIP AND THE XFER PUMP LEFT ON FOR ANOTHER 15 MINS. THIS ALLOWS FOR EVENING OUT THE WT OF THE FUEL IN THE TIPS OF THE ACFT. ON INSPECTION OF THE ACFT THE NEXT DAY; I FOUND THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OUT ON THE XFER PUMP. THUS; THE FUEL FROM THE R NACELLE TANK NEVER WAS XFERRED TO THE R TIP. UNFORTUNATELY; THE C340 FUEL GAUGES ARE NOT RELIABLE TO ALWAYS CONFIRM XFER AND I DO NOT LET THE XFER PUMP RUN THE TANK DRY TO PRESERVE THE BLADDER (WHEN THE TANK IS DRY; AN ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT COMES ON). THE R ENG PROBABLY FAILED DUE TO LACK OF FUEL IN THE TIP TANK. I DO NOT KNOW WHY IT DID NOT RESTART AFTER SWITCHING TANKS.

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