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A CE128Q flying in abq, NM, runs low on fuel even though fuel tank indicator shows more fuel remaining than what the actual quantity is.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 395308 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199802 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : abq |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 9500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : abq |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other landing other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 30 |
| ASRS Report | 395308 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | other personnel |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Aircraft equipped with standard cessna left/right fuel gauges, working and sdi/hoskins computerized fuel management system. Aircraft has long range tanks, 80 gals total, 75 gals usable. Sdi indicated 66 gals on takeoff. Tanks were visually verified using pipette 'fuel hawk C182 lr' showing about 60 gals usable. Cessna fuel gauges indicating about 48 gals. (PIC always told 'aircraft gauges are not reliable.') assumed fuel on board 60 gals, or about 4.3 hours at 14 gph. Planned flight was about 3 hours. 2 hours into flight, PIC made a decision to rely on cessna fuel gauges indicting approximately 20 gals and landed to verify. Sdi indicated more fuel than cessna gauges. After landing, pipette showed approximately 18 gals usable. No services available at time of day. PIC was advised by local mechanic that a larger airport with 24 hour service was 20 mins away. Close calculations with pipette, burn rate would leave margin for 45 mins reserve upon landing. After transition (15 mins) FBO topped off with 74 gals. By poh, 1 gal was remaining. Sdi always resets to 88.6 gals remaining using 'fill up option.' later research shows that annual battery replacement is necessary. The 13.6 gal error is using up the 'reserve.' the instrument will be placarded to show 'set to 75 gal on fill up.' the pipette will be discarded, and should be investigated by the FAA.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A CE128Q FLYING IN ABQ, NM, RUNS LOW ON FUEL EVEN THOUGH FUEL TANK INDICATOR SHOWS MORE FUEL REMAINING THAN WHAT THE ACTUAL QUANTITY IS.
Narrative: ACFT EQUIPPED WITH STANDARD CESSNA L/R FUEL GAUGES, WORKING AND SDI/HOSKINS COMPUTERIZED FUEL MGMNT SYS. ACFT HAS LONG RANGE TANKS, 80 GALS TOTAL, 75 GALS USABLE. SDI INDICATED 66 GALS ON TKOF. TANKS WERE VISUALLY VERIFIED USING PIPETTE 'FUEL HAWK C182 LR' SHOWING ABOUT 60 GALS USABLE. CESSNA FUEL GAUGES INDICATING ABOUT 48 GALS. (PIC ALWAYS TOLD 'ACFT GAUGES ARE NOT RELIABLE.') ASSUMED FUEL ON BOARD 60 GALS, OR ABOUT 4.3 HRS AT 14 GPH. PLANNED FLT WAS ABOUT 3 HRS. 2 HRS INTO FLT, PIC MADE A DECISION TO RELY ON CESSNA FUEL GAUGES INDICTING APPROX 20 GALS AND LANDED TO VERIFY. SDI INDICATED MORE FUEL THAN CESSNA GAUGES. AFTER LNDG, PIPETTE SHOWED APPROX 18 GALS USABLE. NO SVCS AVAILABLE AT TIME OF DAY. PIC WAS ADVISED BY LCL MECH THAT A LARGER ARPT WITH 24 HR SVC WAS 20 MINS AWAY. CLOSE CALCULATIONS WITH PIPETTE, BURN RATE WOULD LEAVE MARGIN FOR 45 MINS RESERVE UPON LNDG. AFTER TRANSITION (15 MINS) FBO TOPPED OFF WITH 74 GALS. BY POH, 1 GAL WAS REMAINING. SDI ALWAYS RESETS TO 88.6 GALS REMAINING USING 'FILL UP OPTION.' LATER RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ANNUAL BATTERY REPLACEMENT IS NECESSARY. THE 13.6 GAL ERROR IS USING UP THE 'RESERVE.' THE INST WILL BE PLACARDED TO SHOW 'SET TO 75 GAL ON FILL UP.' THE PIPETTE WILL BE DISCARDED, AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY THE FAA.
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.