Reciprocating engine twin engine aircraft filled with jet-a instead of AVGAS.

Attributes
ACN	128026
Time
Date	198911
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pdk
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 1275 flight time type : 65
ASRS Report	128026
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	127931
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Flight departing lax to san diego lindbergh with 0 passenger was to be flown in an small transport X. Upon the arrival of the small transport X from the previous flight (which was about 80 mins before our departure time), I instructed the fuel truck driver to put 40 gals/side of AVGAS into the aircraft. During the course of our other preflight duties, the captain and I failed to realize that the fueler was refueling our aircraft with jet-a fuel instead of AVGAS. I signed the fuel receipt as we were about to depart, and because of the rush to stay on schedule, I did not take the time to read the fuel receipt which stated 'jet a.' we departed lax normally and began cruise climb when I noticed high cylinder head temperatures. I pulled the power back and increased airspeed, and then noticed the temperatures decreasing. We continued the flight with partial power settings, and within 10 mins decided to return to base and did so west/O incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: confirmed that he observed the fueling procedure, but the fact that the aircraft was being filled with jet-a instead of AVGAS simply did not register. The aircraft engines were torn down and rebuilt, but there was apparently only limited damage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RECIPROCATING ENGINE TWIN ENGINE ACFT FILLED WITH JET-A INSTEAD OF AVGAS.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTING LAX TO SAN DIEGO LINDBERGH WITH 0 PAX WAS TO BE FLOWN IN AN SMT X. UPON THE ARR OF THE SMT X FROM THE PREVIOUS FLT (WHICH WAS ABOUT 80 MINS BEFORE OUR DEP TIME), I INSTRUCTED THE FUEL TRUCK DRIVER TO PUT 40 GALS/SIDE OF AVGAS INTO THE ACFT. DURING THE COURSE OF OUR OTHER PREFLT DUTIES, THE CAPT AND I FAILED TO REALIZE THAT THE FUELER WAS REFUELING OUR ACFT WITH JET-A FUEL INSTEAD OF AVGAS. I SIGNED THE FUEL RECEIPT AS WE WERE ABOUT TO DEPART, AND BECAUSE OF THE RUSH TO STAY ON SCHEDULE, I DID NOT TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE FUEL RECEIPT WHICH STATED 'JET A.' WE DEPARTED LAX NORMALLY AND BEGAN CRUISE CLB WHEN I NOTICED HIGH CYLINDER HEAD TEMPS. I PULLED THE PWR BACK AND INCREASED AIRSPD, AND THEN NOTICED THE TEMPS DECREASING. WE CONTINUED THE FLT WITH PARTIAL PWR SETTINGS, AND WITHIN 10 MINS DECIDED TO RETURN TO BASE AND DID SO W/O INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CONFIRMED THAT HE OBSERVED THE FUELING PROC, BUT THE FACT THAT THE ACFT WAS BEING FILLED WITH JET-A INSTEAD OF AVGAS SIMPLY DID NOT REGISTER. THE ACFT ENGS WERE TORN DOWN AND REBUILT, BUT THERE WAS APPARENTLY ONLY LIMITED DAMAGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.