Small aircraft pilot on ferry flight makes a precautionary emergency landing on a military base due ...

Attributes
ACN	527508
Time
Date	200110
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	OK
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence Windshear
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	527508
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical airspace violation : entry other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel leaking in cabin other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On oct/sat/01 at XA00 local one hour into a cross country flight from ZZZ airport to ZZZ1 airport. In a small aircraft with no electrical system. A fuel crossfeed valve, located inside the cockpit, fwd of the copilot seat, started dripping. A decision was made to land at ZZZ2 airport, which was closer than ZZZ1 airport. After changing course, the valve, in short period of time, went from a drip to major leak, despite my friend's efforts to contain the leak with paper towels and rags, he was being drenched with fuel. While the drip changed from a drip to a leak I had changed course for ZZZ2 airport, to ZZZ3 airport, to ZZZ4 airport, to ZZZ5 airport, and then finally to ZZZ6 military airbase. I really didn't want to land at ZZZ6, but I knew that the auxiliary fuel tank was full, with six gals of fuel, and that if we were to catch on fire, the airplane would probably burn pretty fast. After we landed I was issued a citation from the military for landing on their property. We later learned that the valve seal failed due to disuse and dryrot over the years. Because I was busy finding places to land and fly the airplane I didn't have time to radio ZZZ6 military base in order to let them know about my situation, and that I needed to use their auxiliary runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON FERRY FLT MAKES A PRECAUTIONARY EMER LANDING ON A MIL BASE DUE TO A FUEL LEAK IN THE CABIN. MIL ISSUED CITATION FOR LANDING ON THEIR PROPERTY.

Narrative: ON OCT/SAT/01 AT XA00 LCL ONE HOUR INTO A XCOUNTRY FLT FROM ZZZ ARPT TO ZZZ1 ARPT. IN A SMA WITH NO ELECTRICAL SYS. A FUEL CROSSFEED VALVE, LOCATED INSIDE THE COCKPIT, FWD OF THE COPLT SEAT, STARTED DRIPPING. A DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND AT ZZZ2 ARPT, WHICH WAS CLOSER THAN ZZZ1 ARPT. AFTER CHANGING COURSE, THE VALVE, IN SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WENT FROM A DRIP TO MAJOR LEAK, DESPITE MY FRIEND'S EFFORTS TO CONTAIN THE LEAK WITH PAPER TOWELS AND RAGS, HE WAS BEING DRENCHED WITH FUEL. WHILE THE DRIP CHANGED FROM A DRIP TO A LEAK I HAD CHANGED COURSE FOR ZZZ2 ARPT, TO ZZZ3 ARPT, TO ZZZ4 ARPT, TO ZZZ5 ARPT, AND THEN FINALLY TO ZZZ6 MIL AIRBASE. I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO LAND AT ZZZ6, BUT I KNEW THAT THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANK WAS FULL, WITH SIX GALS OF FUEL, AND THAT IF WE WERE TO CATCH ON FIRE, THE AIRPLANE WOULD PROBABLY BURN PRETTY FAST. AFTER WE LANDED I WAS ISSUED A CITATION FROM THE MIL FOR LANDING ON THEIR PROPERTY. WE LATER LEARNED THAT THE VALVE SEAL FAILED DUE TO DISUSE AND DRYROT OVER THE YEARS. BECAUSE I WAS BUSY FINDING PLACES TO LAND AND FLY THE AIRPLANE I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO RADIO ZZZ6 MIL BASE IN ORDER TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT MY SIT, AND THAT I NEEDED TO USE THEIR AUXILIARY RWY.

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.

Small aircraft pilot on ferry flight makes a precautionary emergency landing on a military base due to a fuel leak in the cabin. Military issued citation for landing on their property.