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Light transport aircraft had fuel quantity switch in test position and read erroneous total fuel. Flight crew didn't discover lack of fuel until after being airborne. They diverted for fuel and when descending on STAR failed to make crossing restr.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 368489 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199705 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pxr airport : phx |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 17000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : phx |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : phx |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 368489 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
It all started off by checking the fuel load. Battery switch on, read the fuel computer, battery off. Sounds simple enough except that the fuel computer function switch was left in the test position which gives a test readout of 6000 pounds. That's exactly what I needed for this trip (the aircraft only had 3600 pounds of fuel on board!). The trip continued. At about 20 mins into the trip, I noticed that the fuel remaining did not change and discovered the function switch was in the wrong position. We could not make our final destination of cabo (mmsd) with the remaining fuel. An unscheduled stop at phx would be needed. The controller gave us the karlo 6 into phx and 12000 ft at plsnt intersection. Several problems arose. The controller's pronunciation sounded like it was spelled with a 'B.' looked all over the chart and could not find anything that looked or sounded like the intersection. Asked him to spell it. 'P-left-south-north-T.' still didn't see it. He said it was 35 DME from pxr. Found it, but the name 'plsnt' is 1.5 inches north of intersection and above the names of two other intxns! I crossed 'plsnt' at about 17000 ft, should have been 12000 ft. After 'plsnt' we were handed off to phoenix approach and given 9000 ft. I had been distracted and missed my leveloff by -200 ft (8800 ft). It was a high rate of descent. Factors influencing the trip: 1) copilot was part time (hired for this trip). 2) did not correctly check fuel load. 3) stress of telling the boss we need to stop for fuel because I screwed up. 4) unscheduled stop/airport. 5) not familiar with arrivals. 6) passenger showed up late. 7) must arrival at mmsd before closing time. Spending too much time monitoring the copilot. 9) a more current copilot.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LTT ACFT HAD FUEL QUANTITY SWITCH IN TEST POS AND READ ERRONEOUS TOTAL FUEL. FLC DIDN'T DISCOVER LACK OF FUEL UNTIL AFTER BEING AIRBORNE. THEY DIVERTED FOR FUEL AND WHEN DSNDING ON STAR FAILED TO MAKE XING RESTR.
Narrative: IT ALL STARTED OFF BY CHKING THE FUEL LOAD. BATTERY SWITCH ON, READ THE FUEL COMPUTER, BATTERY OFF. SOUNDS SIMPLE ENOUGH EXCEPT THAT THE FUEL COMPUTER FUNCTION SWITCH WAS LEFT IN THE TEST POS WHICH GIVES A TEST READOUT OF 6000 LBS. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED FOR THIS TRIP (THE ACFT ONLY HAD 3600 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD!). THE TRIP CONTINUED. AT ABOUT 20 MINS INTO THE TRIP, I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL REMAINING DID NOT CHANGE AND DISCOVERED THE FUNCTION SWITCH WAS IN THE WRONG POS. WE COULD NOT MAKE OUR FINAL DEST OF CABO (MMSD) WITH THE REMAINING FUEL. AN UNSCHEDULED STOP AT PHX WOULD BE NEEDED. THE CTLR GAVE US THE KARLO 6 INTO PHX AND 12000 FT AT PLSNT INTXN. SEVERAL PROBS AROSE. THE CTLR'S PRONUNCIATION SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS SPELLED WITH A 'B.' LOOKED ALL OVER THE CHART AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING THAT LOOKED OR SOUNDED LIKE THE INTXN. ASKED HIM TO SPELL IT. 'P-L-S-N-T.' STILL DIDN'T SEE IT. HE SAID IT WAS 35 DME FROM PXR. FOUND IT, BUT THE NAME 'PLSNT' IS 1.5 INCHES N OF INTXN AND ABOVE THE NAMES OF TWO OTHER INTXNS! I CROSSED 'PLSNT' AT ABOUT 17000 FT, SHOULD HAVE BEEN 12000 FT. AFTER 'PLSNT' WE WERE HANDED OFF TO PHOENIX APCH AND GIVEN 9000 FT. I HAD BEEN DISTRACTED AND MISSED MY LEVELOFF BY -200 FT (8800 FT). IT WAS A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE TRIP: 1) COPLT WAS PART TIME (HIRED FOR THIS TRIP). 2) DID NOT CORRECTLY CHK FUEL LOAD. 3) STRESS OF TELLING THE BOSS WE NEED TO STOP FOR FUEL BECAUSE I SCREWED UP. 4) UNSCHEDULED STOP/ARPT. 5) NOT FAMILIAR WITH ARRIVALS. 6) PAX SHOWED UP LATE. 7) MUST ARR AT MMSD BEFORE CLOSING TIME. SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME MONITORING THE COPLT. 9) A MORE CURRENT COPLT.
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.