One of those 'never again" sort of things...

not a dramatic story, but one worth telling...

I was flying my bird over to another airport for the annual. Was
planning on replacing the right fuel cell so at the end of the
previous flight I topped off the left side only (figured I'd burn
off the rest on the way over there). Lo and behold I forgot to shut
off both fuel valves (left them in the both on position.... tip
tanks conversion on the Comanche allows for both thanks being "on").
So when I checked the tanks this AM before departure I had two tanks
3/4 full! Hmmm fuel had magirated from the full tank into the nearly
empty tank. Oh well, I'll have to fly around for 70 minutes to burn
off some fuel.

Set the timer for 70mins before take-off and go cruizing around....
Timer has 5 minutes left.... Radio calls... set up for 45 degree entry
to downwind at dest... then downwind and GUMPS check except for
switching tanks (I figure what the heck, the tanks needs to be
nearly empty anyway). touch down taxi to maint hangar and shutdown.

Meet my IA, we go to lunch... we come back, he wants me to run it
up to warm it for a minute (prior to compression check) test the mags
then shut it down. I crank it up... start to taxi to turn it around
to position so we can back it in the hangar and the engine dies...
TOTALLY out of fuel in the right tank! I literally had 1 minute of
fuel left in the right tank. Great calculation on my part but DUMB
decision to skip the "G" on the gumps check.

Moral: don't try to be so slick.... Live for another day and fly again.

Wow, that's cutting it a little too close. Glad the engine out was on
the ground. Thanks for being willing to admit the mistake and share the
story. I'll bet next time you'll be willing to waste a few gallons of gas.


--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-IA Student-Arrow Shopping Student

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

I'm remined of a saying that someone here quoted recently: "It's easy to
cheat death - but she only has to win once"!


"kontiki" wrote in message
...
not a dramatic story, but one worth telling...

I was flying my bird over to another airport for the annual. Was
planning on replacing the right fuel cell so at the end of the
previous flight I topped off the left side only (figured I'd burn
off the rest on the way over there). Lo and behold I forgot to shut
off both fuel valves (left them in the both on position.... tip
tanks conversion on the Comanche allows for both thanks being "on").
So when I checked the tanks this AM before departure I had two tanks
3/4 full! Hmmm fuel had magirated from the full tank into the nearly
empty tank. Oh well, I'll have to fly around for 70 minutes to burn
off some fuel.

Set the timer for 70mins before take-off and go cruizing around....
Timer has 5 minutes left.... Radio calls... set up for 45 degree entry
to downwind at dest... then downwind and GUMPS check except for
switching tanks (I figure what the heck, the tanks needs to be
nearly empty anyway). touch down taxi to maint hangar and shutdown.

Meet my IA, we go to lunch... we come back, he wants me to run it
up to warm it for a minute (prior to compression check) test the mags
then shut it down. I crank it up... start to taxi to turn it around
to position so we can back it in the hangar and the engine dies...
TOTALLY out of fuel in the right tank! I literally had 1 minute of
fuel left in the right tank. Great calculation on my part but DUMB
decision to skip the "G" on the gumps check.

Moral: don't try to be so slick.... Live for another day and fly again.

Jack Allison wrote:
Wow, that's cutting it a little too close. Glad the engine out was on
the ground. Thanks for being willing to admit the mistake and share the
story. I'll bet next time you'll be willing to waste a few gallons of gas.


Yes. The realization that someone (me)) did something really dumb. I consider
myself a careful pilot but have now reassessed myself more critically.

very old story but it seems to fit...

new truck driver took a 17 foot tall truck part way thru a 16'6"
tunnel.

driver finally gets back to the shop, tosses the keys on the desk and
starts back out the door to clear his locker.

get yer ass back in here and take those keys, says the boss, you're
driving tomorrow.

later, someone suggests the boss is a nice guy, no, says the boss (who
is obviously also a pilot) at least i've got one driver now who will
never-ever get in a truck without measuring it.

it's the difference between a bad screw-up and a very valuable lesson.


dan

kontiki wrote:
not a dramatic story, but one worth telling...

Good lesson. I do have a question, though. Were you by any chance
monitoring your fuel pressure gauge at the time? I'm not sure if your
Comanche will be similar, but whenever I'm trying to empty a tank (for
maintenance or to extend range), I always see the fuel pressure start
to dip a good 10 minutes before the tank is really empty. That's my
tipoff to switch and I generally have a gallon left at that point.

Just wondering,

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)