FAILURE TO MONITOR FUEL MGMNT RESULTS IN L ENG FAILURE FOR C414 PLT. SUBSEQUENT EVALUATION SHOWS ENG WAS FEEDING FROM AUX TANK WHOSE QUANTITY WAS EXHAUSTED.

Date: 2008-04 · Aircraft: Chancellor 414A / C414 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|other-fuel-mismanagement

Synopsis

FAILURE TO MONITOR FUEL MGMNT RESULTS IN L ENG FAILURE FOR C414 PLT. SUBSEQUENT EVALUATION SHOWS ENG WAS FEEDING FROM AUX TANK WHOSE QUANTITY WAS EXHAUSTED.

Narrative

DURING CRUISE; I EXPERIENCED LOSS OF PWR ON L ENG. SECURED L ENG AND DECLARED EMER AND LNDG AT NEAREST ARPT. WAS OVERHEAD OF ZZZ ARPT; ATC TOOK EMER INFO AND XFERRED ME TO ZZZ APCH. COMPLETED ENG FAILURE INFLT EMER CHKLIST; WHICH CALLED FOR ATTEMPTED RESTART USING AUX FUEL PUMPS ON HIGH. SUCCESSFUL RESTART; BUT ENG DID NOT DEVELOP CONSISTENT PWR; SO I SECURED THE ENG AGAIN USING CHKLIST. MADE SUCCESSFUL SINGLE ENG APCH AND LNDG AT ZZZ WITH FIRE/EMS STANDING BY. MAINT ARRIVED AND WE DECIDED TO TAXI ACFT TO THEIR FACILITY FOR A LOOK. I DECIDED TO ATTEMPT TO START THE L ENG AND TAXI USING THE AUX FUEL PUMP. WHEN I REACHED TO TURN THE FUEL BACK ON; IT FINALLY DAWNED ON ME -- I RAN THE AUX TANK DRY WHILE APPROX 40 GALLONS REMAINED IN THE MAIN TANK. SOMEWHERE DURING THE EMER; I SWITCHED THE R TANK TO MAIN; WHICH PREVENTED THE R SIDE FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION AS WELL. ABOUT 15 MINS PRIOR TO THE EVENT; I HAD CONSIDERED THE FUEL SITUATION AND WANTED TO USE A LITTLE MORE FUEL FROM THE AUX TANKS FIRST BEFORE SWITCHING; APPROX 10 GALLONS REMAINED IN THE TANK AT THAT TIME. SOMEHOW IN THE NEXT 15 MINS I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT SWITCHING TANKS; WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN MY INITIAL REACTION TO THE PWR LOSS. LUCKILY; AN EMER LNDG AND A BIG HUMILIATION ARE ALL THAT RESULTED FROM A LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: HADN'T FLOWN A LONG FLT THAT REQUIRED THE USE OF AUX TANKS IN A FEW MONTHS. LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS REGARDING FUEL STATUS. FORGOT PLTING 101: IF AN ENG LOSES PWR; IT ALMOST ALWAYS IS FUEL STARVED. FORGOT FUEL IS BEING PUMPED FROM THE AUX TANK ALMOST TWICE AS FAST AS THE ENG CONSUMES IT. THE RETURN GOES TO THE MAIN TANKS. CORRECTIVE ACTION: I NOW SET A COUNTDOWN TIMER WHEN SWITCHING TO AUX TANKS AS A REMINDER TO SWITCH. IF PWR IS LOST IN CRUISE FLT; FIRST SWITCH TANKS; THEN TRY AUX PUMPS ON HIGH BEFORE SECURING ENG.

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