Comments on: Fuel exhaustion

By: Randy Coller

Randy Coller — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:41:14 +0000

Regarding the statement: “At night on October 15, 2002 a Schweizer 269C experienced an engine failure due to fuel exhaustion… ”
Sorry, the engine didn’t fail. The pilot failed.

If a person runs out of fuel, one of two things should happen,
(1) they should voluntarily relinquish all pilot certificates because they are too stupid to be flying, or
(2) the FAA should permanently revoke their certificates.

By: Carl Schultz

Carl Schultz — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:42:07 +0000

When I top off my R44, I reset the hands on the instrument panel clock to 12:00 to monitor time flown (or a 9:00 for time remaining @15 gal/hr burn rate).

By: Jim Borger

Jim Borger — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 01:40:18 +0000

This blog cited just two cases of fuel exhaustion but it happens regularly. Most of the time it doesn’t result in an accident so it doesn’t make the news. It’s only been three weeks since the last one I’m familiar with.

By: Joe Bradley

Joe Bradley — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:03:56 +0000

Although I agree with the basic premise of the article I wouldn’t say that two accidents 9 years apart is “over and over”. “Over and over” makes it sound like it is a monthly or even yearly event. The fact is running out of fuel in a helicopter is a pretty rare event.

By: Danny Wallace

Danny Wallace — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:30:16 +0000

(The aircraft can be set up for a quick start and an abbreviated check list used with one of the listed items being the fuel level.)

While in the military, this was a standard practice for our quick reaction forces. Cocked or pre-cocked we’d call it. If you are human, you will make a mistake. reduce the chances of that by having the aircraft set up at a certain point in the check list and go from there by the numbers when it’s time to go to work. The life you save could be your own.
Dan

By: Jim Borger

Jim Borger — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 01:23:44 +0000

There is no regulatory requirement for a fuel gauge to be accurate between full and empty. The only way you know exactly how much fuel you have is when it’s full except for some of the smaller helicopters that can be measured with a stick. You have to use time and a standard fuel burn for the aircraft you are flying and use a conservative reserve. Just because the regs say you can land with 20 minutes reserve doesn’t mean you should. If you fly the same aircraft regularly you can fine tune your fuel planning. Larger helicopter fuel gauges seem to be more accurate. Don’t push it. If you have to land short because of fuel people will soon forget but if you run out and crash they will always remember.

I can’t tell you how many EMS pilots that I have talked to that told me they don’t have time to use a checklist. Everybody should use a checklist every time. The aircraft can be set up for a quick start and an abreviated check list used with one of the listed items being the fuel level.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 03:01:44 +0000

Very interesting. I wonder if pilot fatigue or stress could have been involved in the EMS crash. He was not thinking clearly. The other guys definitely could have prevented it by calling someone or at the very least landing as soon as the low fuel light came on.

By: offtheshelfedge

offtheshelfedge — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:53:21 +0000

Great article – thanks for sharing. Do you have links to the NTSB reports for these?

In our flight school flying R22s and R44s, we had handy fuel sticks (homemade) that were much more accurate than the gauges. These are simple to make out of a 1/2 inch wood dowel, and fit right underneath the seat…