Narrative:

During cockpit preflight checks I noticed a fuel imbalance. I began to correct this imbalance by opening the cross-flow and turning on a standby pump to move fuel from the heavy left wing to the lighter right west side. I then deviated from my own practice and what I have always taught, which was to do nothing else until full transfer operations were complete and the fuel panel switches are returned to their normal position. I began to copy the ATIS, get takeoff data, and complete some other paperwork. Having completed all this I exited the aircraft and walked inside the FBO forgetting about the fuel. While standing at the front counter I heard over the radio (line service) that there was a fuel leak on the lear, I immediately realized what was happening and ran back outside to see fuel coming out my right tip. By the time I stopped the fuel transfer an estimated 5 gallons of fuel had been dumped onto the ramp. The line service reacted very quickly to clear up the spill and prevent any fuel from entering the drainage system. The fire department was called as a standard precaution and to monitor the clean up. As I mentioned earlier I deviated from my normal procedure and for the first time in 15 yrs of experience it resulted with this mishap. The correction for this is of course to go back to what has been my practice and has worked for yrs, and not do anything else during fuel transfer operations. In addition to this I'm looking to make a placard to be placed on the glare shield as a reminder that fuel transfer operations are in progress.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ON PREFLT TRANSFERRED FUEL AND FORGOT TO TURN OFF SWITCHES RESULTING IN A FUEL SPILL ON THE RAMP.

Narrative: DURING COCKPIT PREFLT CHKS I NOTICED A FUEL IMBALANCE. I BEGAN TO CORRECT THIS IMBALANCE BY OPENING THE CROSS-FLOW AND TURNING ON A STANDBY PUMP TO MOVE FUEL FROM THE HVY L WING TO THE LIGHTER R W SIDE. I THEN DEVIATED FROM MY OWN PRACTICE AND WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS TAUGHT, WHICH WAS TO DO NOTHING ELSE UNTIL FULL TRANSFER OPS WERE COMPLETE AND THE FUEL PANEL SWITCHES ARE RETURNED TO THEIR NORMAL POS. I BEGAN TO COPY THE ATIS, GET TKOF DATA, AND COMPLETE SOME OTHER PAPERWORK. HAVING COMPLETED ALL THIS I EXITED THE ACFT AND WALKED INSIDE THE FBO FORGETTING ABOUT THE FUEL. WHILE STANDING AT THE FRONT COUNTER I HEARD OVER THE RADIO (LINE SVC) THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK ON THE LEAR, I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND RAN BACK OUTSIDE TO SEE FUEL COMING OUT MY R TIP. BY THE TIME I STOPPED THE FUEL TRANSFER AN ESTIMATED 5 GALLONS OF FUEL HAD BEEN DUMPED ONTO THE RAMP. THE LINE SVC REACTED VERY QUICKLY TO CLR UP THE SPILL AND PREVENT ANY FUEL FROM ENTERING THE DRAINAGE SYS. THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED AS A STANDARD PRECAUTION AND TO MONITOR THE CLEAN UP. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER I DEVIATED FROM MY NORMAL PROC AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 15 YRS OF EXPERIENCE IT RESULTED WITH THIS MISHAP. THE CORRECTION FOR THIS IS OF COURSE TO GO BACK TO WHAT HAS BEEN MY PRACTICE AND HAS WORKED FOR YRS, AND NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE DURING FUEL TRANSFER OPS. IN ADDITION TO THIS I'M LOOKING TO MAKE A PLACARD TO BE PLACED ON THE GLARE SHIELD AS A REMINDER THAT FUEL TRANSFER OPS ARE IN PROGRESS.

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.