Narrative:

On a flight from aspen, co, to chico, ca, on 6/90 I landed at elko, nv, for a fuel stop. I bought 52 gal of 100LL, had lunch in town and departed for chico, ca. (After a complete preflight inspection of the plane). After flying for one hour on the right tank I switched to the left tank. The engine ran rough, and at the same time the egt began to drop off. I advised ZOA that I was diverting to reno, and that I had engine trouble of unknown origin. I landed at reno, nv, and had a mechanic inspect the plane. We discovered that the problem was in the fuel. It had jet fuel in it. I notified the reno FSS and the reno FSDO and personally called the FBO at elko, nv, to advise them of their fueling problem. The results: FSS showed the most interest (action taken unknown). FSDO on call inspector's quote, 'elko is a major refueling stop...and you are the only complaint...why don't you send us a letter.' no action taken. FBO complete denial. I understand that a total of ten airplanes got this fuel. Better FSDO action may have helped. By the way, I was shocked at the lack of concern on behalf of the inspector at the reno FSDO (he seemed more interested in his sunday afternoon bbq that I interupted...excuse me!), even after the fuel contamination was relayed to him by the chief maintenance inspector at FBO aviation at reno, nv, he took no action. Results to our airplane, needed complete top overhaul, $7000.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FORCED LNDG WHEN ENGINE BECAME ROUGH BECAUSE OF FUEL CONTAMINATION.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM ASPEN, CO, TO CHICO, CA, ON 6/90 I LANDED AT ELKO, NV, FOR A FUEL STOP. I BOUGHT 52 GAL OF 100LL, HAD LUNCH IN TOWN AND DEPARTED FOR CHICO, CA. (AFTER A COMPLETE PREFLT INSPECTION OF THE PLANE). AFTER FLYING FOR ONE HR ON THE R TANK I SWITCHED TO THE L TANK. THE ENG RAN ROUGH, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE EGT BEGAN TO DROP OFF. I ADVISED ZOA THAT I WAS DIVERTING TO RENO, AND THAT I HAD ENG TROUBLE OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN. I LANDED AT RENO, NV, AND HAD A MECH INSPECT THE PLANE. WE DISCOVERED THAT THE PROB WAS IN THE FUEL. IT HAD JET FUEL IN IT. I NOTIFIED THE RENO FSS AND THE RENO FSDO AND PERSONALLY CALLED THE FBO AT ELKO, NV, TO ADVISE THEM OF THEIR FUELING PROB. THE RESULTS: FSS SHOWED THE MOST INTEREST (ACTION TAKEN UNKNOWN). FSDO ON CALL INSPECTOR'S QUOTE, 'ELKO IS A MAJOR REFUELING STOP...AND YOU ARE THE ONLY COMPLAINT...WHY DON'T YOU SEND US A LETTER.' NO ACTION TAKEN. FBO COMPLETE DENIAL. I UNDERSTAND THAT A TOTAL OF TEN AIRPLANES GOT THIS FUEL. BETTER FSDO ACTION MAY HAVE HELPED. BY THE WAY, I WAS SHOCKED AT THE LACK OF CONCERN ON BEHALF OF THE INSPECTOR AT THE RENO FSDO (HE SEEMED MORE INTERESTED IN HIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON BBQ THAT I INTERUPTED...EXCUSE ME!), EVEN AFTER THE FUEL CONTAMINATION WAS RELAYED TO HIM BY THE CHIEF MAINT INSPECTOR AT FBO AVIATION AT RENO, NV, HE TOOK NO ACTION. RESULTS TO OUR AIRPLANE, NEEDED COMPLETE TOP OVERHAUL, $7000.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.