Courious Crash

14 per hour is what I use for planning in a Comanche 260. With aux
tanks, we're talking about 84 gallons usable. 84/14 = 6 hours of
cruise at 155 kts. = 930nm to dry tanks.

If there were no aux tanks, that's 56 gallons usable/14 = 4 hrs x 155
kts = 620nm.. with a tailwind, you just might run dry slightly short of
the airport in that scenario.

I've also noticed that line folks often leave the tanks less than
completely topped due to the nature of the tanks looking full when they
still have room. A few weeks back, I called the lineman back to the
plane and he added 5 gallons after "topping it off" earlier. Maybe
that's a bit "anal" but on a night/IFR flight from Oakland, CA to
Phoenix I want all the fuel I can get... that's an extra 22 minutes of
cruise.

--Dan


john smith wrote:
Sunday evening, 17 December, a small plane crashed two miles south of
the Bucyrus Ohio airport (17G). A family of four (father, mother, two
children) died in the crash. There was minor damage to an apartment
building from flying debris, and no injuries to those on the ground.
The husband and wife are reported to have been pilot rated and
preliminary reports describe the aircraft as a 60's/70's Comanche.
Witnesses on the ground reported the engine sputtering and seeing sparks
coming from the airplane prior to the crash.
The aircraft had departed Oklahoma earlier in the afternoon.

Q: what are the possible ranges of various models of Comanche's?

My speculation...
Oklahoma to Bucyrus Ohio is a long haul. If the engine is sputtering, I
am guessing fuel exhaustion.
That it was within two miles of the airport makes me strongly think they
were stretching it.
Tulsa OK to Bucyrus OH is 665 nm. Fuel burn on a Comanche 260 is what?
14 per hour?
Cruise speed is 160 kts?
That gives about five hours and 700 nm.
How close am I?