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Small transport has fuel flow problem on departure, misses heading change on SID.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 257899 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199311 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : frg |
| State Reference | NY |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial climbout : takeoff |
| Route In Use | departure sid : sid |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 257899 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
Takeoff bad WX -- high winds, rain, low visibility, low level wind shear. Given SID for departure which calls for r- hand turn. After takeoff, gear up, lots of rain and bad turbulence, wind shear. Lost fuel flow indication on left engine. Went from 36 gph to 10 gph. Aircraft equipped with digital fuel flow device. Per system technical compliance original fuel pressure gauge is removed from aircraft. Evidently due to my concern over possible problems with left engine and bad WX, did not execute right turn according to SID soon enough. When asked to turn right to 220 degree heading by new york departure, complied immediately. Problem was loose or broken wire at fuel transducer and was able to fly left engine by matching position of mixture controls and egt indications. Took a min or 2 to cope with problem and realize that engine was running ok. Controller was very rude, started questioning me in the air. Didn't I know what a SID was, etc. All this while I was flying in absolutely terrible WX, pounding rain, heavy turbulence trying to figure out left engine problems. Of course when left fuel flow went crazy, I was sure the left engine was running rough (it wasn't). I was able to fly home and fix problem the next day. Moral: these things sometimes happen. I was extremely busy and concerned, a little courtesy and understanding would help. I didn't have time to talk. You have to fly first.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMT HAS FUEL FLOW PROB ON DEP, MISSES HDG CHANGE ON SID.
Narrative: TKOF BAD WX -- HIGH WINDS, RAIN, LOW VISIBILITY, LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR. GIVEN SID FOR DEP WHICH CALLS FOR R- HAND TURN. AFTER TKOF, GEAR UP, LOTS OF RAIN AND BAD TURB, WIND SHEAR. LOST FUEL FLOW INDICATION ON L ENG. WENT FROM 36 GPH TO 10 GPH. ACFT EQUIPPED WITH DIGITAL FUEL FLOW DEVICE. PER SYS TECHNICAL COMPLIANCE ORIGINAL FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE IS REMOVED FROM ACFT. EVIDENTLY DUE TO MY CONCERN OVER POSSIBLE PROBS WITH L ENG AND BAD WX, DID NOT EXECUTE R TURN ACCORDING TO SID SOON ENOUGH. WHEN ASKED TO TURN R TO 220 DEG HDG BY NEW YORK DEP, COMPLIED IMMEDIATELY. PROB WAS LOOSE OR BROKEN WIRE AT FUEL TRANSDUCER AND WAS ABLE TO FLY L ENG BY MATCHING POS OF MIXTURE CTLS AND EGT INDICATIONS. TOOK A MIN OR 2 TO COPE WITH PROB AND REALIZE THAT ENG WAS RUNNING OK. CTLR WAS VERY RUDE, STARTED QUESTIONING ME IN THE AIR. DIDN'T I KNOW WHAT A SID WAS, ETC. ALL THIS WHILE I WAS FLYING IN ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE WX, POUNDING RAIN, HVY TURB TRYING TO FIGURE OUT L ENG PROBS. OF COURSE WHEN L FUEL FLOW WENT CRAZY, I WAS SURE THE L ENG WAS RUNNING ROUGH (IT WASN'T). I WAS ABLE TO FLY HOME AND FIX PROB THE NEXT DAY. MORAL: THESE THINGS SOMETIMES HAPPEN. I WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND CONCERNED, A LITTLE COURTESY AND UNDERSTANDING WOULD HELP. I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TALK. YOU HAVE TO FLY FIRST.
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.