Divert land due to a fuel problem fuel unavailable due to a valve failure.

Attributes
ACN	309063
Time
Date	199506
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eyw
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : eyw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skymaster
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 82 flight time total : 528 flight time type : 146
ASRS Report	309063
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was using fuel from auxiliary fuel tanks which supply approximately 1 hour of flight time. After using the auxiliary fuel supply for 50 mins, I attempted to return the fuel selector valve to the 'main' position (main fuel tanks, front engine). While attempting to do this, I could not cause the fuel selector valve to stay in the 'main' position. I made 3 attempts to no avail, the fuel selector valve remained in between the 'main' and 'auxiliary' position, no detents could be felt, and the engine continued to run. As a precaution, I aborted the search and rescue mission, began to climb, and began heading directly to eyw. When I reached 20 mi south of key west, I contacted key west approach and requested flight following to opf. Both engines ran well up to approximately 20 mins after the fuel selector problem was first idented. At that point, one of the engines began to lose power. I could not determine which one because both engines showed good indications, however, I assumed that the front engine had suffered from partial fuel starvation. At this point, I advised key west approach that I had an 'urgent' situation, and that I wished to land at eyw. He acknowledged and told me to contact eyw tower. I did so, and was cleared to land from 7500 ft MSL and approximately 1 mi southwest of eyw. During my approach to runway 9, a controller asked me to confirm whether I had 1 or 2 operative engines, and I advised him that I had 1 engine producing partial power, and 1 fully operative engine. They also advised me 'equipment' was standing by. I did not request the presence of 'equipment,' but was glad they were there. During the landing, the front engine became fully inoperative. After the airplane was parked, a fire marshall asked me how much fuel I had remaining in the tanks. I told him I didn't know but I estimated 80 gals. He said this information 'wasn't for anything.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the cessna 337 on search and rescue missions for a charitable organization looking for cuban 'boat people.' the aircraft was factory equipped with an auxiliary fuel tank for added range. The selector valve was stuck 'in between' and, when attempting to select the main tank, the assembly was bent so that it could not be operated. The valve has been changed and the system is now working properly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DIVERT LAND DUE TO A FUEL PROB FUEL UNAVAILABLE DUE TO A VALVE FAILURE.

Narrative: I WAS USING FUEL FROM AUX FUEL TANKS WHICH SUPPLY APPROX 1 HR OF FLT TIME. AFTER USING THE AUX FUEL SUPPLY FOR 50 MINS, I ATTEMPTED TO RETURN THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO THE 'MAIN' POS (MAIN FUEL TANKS, FRONT ENG). WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DO THIS, I COULD NOT CAUSE THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO STAY IN THE 'MAIN' POS. I MADE 3 ATTEMPTS TO NO AVAIL, THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE REMAINED IN BTWN THE 'MAIN' AND 'AUX' POS, NO DETENTS COULD BE FELT, AND THE ENG CONTINUED TO RUN. AS A PRECAUTION, I ABORTED THE SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION, BEGAN TO CLB, AND BEGAN HDG DIRECTLY TO EYW. WHEN I REACHED 20 MI S OF KEY WEST, I CONTACTED KEY WEST APCH AND REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING TO OPF. BOTH ENGS RAN WELL UP TO APPROX 20 MINS AFTER THE FUEL SELECTOR PROB WAS FIRST IDENTED. AT THAT POINT, ONE OF THE ENGS BEGAN TO LOSE PWR. I COULD NOT DETERMINE WHICH ONE BECAUSE BOTH ENGS SHOWED GOOD INDICATIONS, HOWEVER, I ASSUMED THAT THE FRONT ENG HAD SUFFERED FROM PARTIAL FUEL STARVATION. AT THIS POINT, I ADVISED KEY WEST APCH THAT I HAD AN 'URGENT' SIT, AND THAT I WISHED TO LAND AT EYW. HE ACKNOWLEDGED AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT EYW TWR. I DID SO, AND WAS CLRED TO LAND FROM 7500 FT MSL AND APPROX 1 MI SW OF EYW. DURING MY APCH TO RWY 9, A CTLR ASKED ME TO CONFIRM WHETHER I HAD 1 OR 2 OPERATIVE ENGS, AND I ADVISED HIM THAT I HAD 1 ENG PRODUCING PARTIAL PWR, AND 1 FULLY OPERATIVE ENG. THEY ALSO ADVISED ME 'EQUIP' WAS STANDING BY. I DID NOT REQUEST THE PRESENCE OF 'EQUIP,' BUT WAS GLAD THEY WERE THERE. DURING THE LNDG, THE FRONT ENG BECAME FULLY INOPERATIVE. AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS PARKED, A FIRE MARSHALL ASKED ME HOW MUCH FUEL I HAD REMAINING IN THE TANKS. I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T KNOW BUT I ESTIMATED 80 GALS. HE SAID THIS INFO 'WASN'T FOR ANYTHING.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE CESSNA 337 ON SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSIONS FOR A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION LOOKING FOR CUBAN 'BOAT PEOPLE.' THE ACFT WAS FACTORY EQUIPPED WITH AN AUX FUEL TANK FOR ADDED RANGE. THE SELECTOR VALVE WAS STUCK 'IN BTWN' AND, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SELECT THE MAIN TANK, THE ASSEMBLY WAS BENT SO THAT IT COULD NOT BE OPERATED. THE VALVE HAS BEEN CHANGED AND THE SYS IS NOW WORKING PROPERLY.

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.