<< >> NASA ASRS Report 219050, August 1992

Flight crew of small transport jet aircraft returned to land due to a low fuel indication for the proposed flight.

Attributes
ACN	219050
Time
Date	199208
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sdf
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	219050
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	219194
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We took on min fuel to travel, part 91, from sdf to day international. Unknown to me, the totalizer fuel indicator was giving erroneous information. It showed that we had approximately 500 pounds more fuel on the ground than it did after takeoff. So, I decided to immediately return to sdf to check out the problem we arrived without incident. After talking to my dom. We concluded the problem was a low fuel level in the left wing (where the totalizer probe is located). If the probe is not totally submerged it will give false readings, such as we experienced. So, we decided to put on twice as much fuel as needed and see if our theory was correct. It was, and we continued our flight without further delay.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF SMT JET ACFT RETURNED TO LAND DUE TO A LOW FUEL INDICATION FOR THE PROPOSED FLT.

Narrative: WE TOOK ON MIN FUEL TO TRAVEL, PART 91, FROM SDF TO DAY INTL. UNKNOWN TO ME, THE TOTALIZER FUEL INDICATOR WAS GIVING ERRONEOUS INFO. IT SHOWED THAT WE HAD APPROX 500 POUNDS MORE FUEL ON THE GND THAN IT DID AFTER TKOF. SO, I DECIDED TO IMMEDIATELY RETURN TO SDF TO CHK OUT THE PROBLEM WE ARRIVED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER TALKING TO MY DOM. WE CONCLUDED THE PROBLEM WAS A LOW FUEL LEVEL IN THE L WING (WHERE THE TOTALIZER PROBE IS LOCATED). IF THE PROBE IS NOT TOTALLY SUBMERGED IT WILL GIVE FALSE READINGS, SUCH AS WE EXPERIENCED. SO, WE DECIDED TO PUT ON TWICE AS MUCH FUEL AS NEEDED AND SEE IF OUR THEORY WAS CORRECT. IT WAS, AND WE CONTINUED OUR FLT WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.

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.