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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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A flight instructor permitted two students to occupy the front seats of the aircraft while he sat in the back. The auxiliary tanks were allowed to run dry, leading to temporary power loss.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 607469 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200312 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bce.airport |
| State Reference | UT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 13000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zlc.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Cessna 310/T310C |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 20 |
| ASRS Report | 607469 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : instructor |
| ASRS Report | 608035 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine instruments other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : regained aircraft control |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Situations | |
| Publication | PLT OPERATING HANDBOOK |
Narrative:
We were cruising at 11500 ft when we decided to run the auxiliary fuel tanks dry before switching to the mains. When the left engine started to sputter, we quickly switched both to mains. However, it took about 30-40 seconds to kick in. During this time, the left was windmilling (it never stopped) and the right was fine. We realized that we forgot to apply full mixture. Other than that, there were no problems. Supplemental information from acn 608035: the time spent without full power was about 30 seconds. We lost around 200 ft of altitude due to this event. I feel that the loss of altitude was more due to us not paying attention to our attitude rather than the loss of power. Upon returning home, I realized what I had done was a violation of the FARS. I allowed 2 students to fly the multi engine aircraft while I was in the back seat. During any portion of the flight that involved takeoff and lndgs, I was in the front seat. I had talked to pilots previously and was in the understanding that this was legal. I had even seen other instructors do this at my place of employment. I was informed that I was going to be fired from my position due to the events that took place during the flight.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A FLT INSTRUCTOR PERMITTED TWO STUDENTS TO OCCUPY THE FRONT SEATS OF THE ACFT WHILE HE SAT IN THE BACK. THE AUX TANKS WERE ALLOWED TO RUN DRY, LEADING TO TEMPORARY PWR LOSS.
Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT 11500 FT WHEN WE DECIDED TO RUN THE AUX FUEL TANKS DRY BEFORE SWITCHING TO THE MAINS. WHEN THE L ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER, WE QUICKLY SWITCHED BOTH TO MAINS. HOWEVER, IT TOOK ABOUT 30-40 SECONDS TO KICK IN. DURING THIS TIME, THE L WAS WINDMILLING (IT NEVER STOPPED) AND THE R WAS FINE. WE REALIZED THAT WE FORGOT TO APPLY FULL MIXTURE. OTHER THAN THAT, THERE WERE NO PROBS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 608035: THE TIME SPENT WITHOUT FULL PWR WAS ABOUT 30 SECONDS. WE LOST AROUND 200 FT OF ALT DUE TO THIS EVENT. I FEEL THAT THE LOSS OF ALT WAS MORE DUE TO US NOT PAYING ATTN TO OUR ATTITUDE RATHER THAN THE LOSS OF PWR. UPON RETURNING HOME, I REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE WAS A VIOLATION OF THE FARS. I ALLOWED 2 STUDENTS TO FLY THE MULTI ENG ACFT WHILE I WAS IN THE BACK SEAT. DURING ANY PORTION OF THE FLT THAT INVOLVED TKOF AND LNDGS, I WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT. I HAD TALKED TO PLTS PREVIOUSLY AND WAS IN THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WAS LEGAL. I HAD EVEN SEEN OTHER INSTRUCTORS DO THIS AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. I WAS INFORMED THAT I WAS GOING TO BE FIRED FROM MY POS DUE TO THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE FLT.
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.