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PA31 pilot made a precautionary landing due to fuel imbal. Xfeed valve inadvertently activated by young passenger.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 654105 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200504 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mmex.artcc |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 26000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : mmex.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | PA-31T-1 Cheyenne I |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 654105 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Passenger Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Passenger Human Performance |
Narrative:
Departed out of ZZZ; climbed to FL260. Autoplt on after takeoff. Approximately 45 mins after takeoff; leveled at FL260 over belize. Had a 500 pound difference in fuel gauges. Turned autoplt off; aircraft barely ctlable. Reduced power on left engine to control airplane. Discovered 13 yr old son accidentally bumped xfeed vale. Closed xfeed valve. Pulled out emergency procedures on fuel xfeeding. Xfeeding is only for single engine operations. Did not feel safe shutting 1 engine down. Contacted nid center and requested landing in belize as soon as possible. They handed us to belize tower. Descended and landed in belize. Refueled plane; had approximately 400 pound differential between the 2 wings. I felt I had made the correct and safest decision to land aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PA31 PLT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG DUE TO FUEL IMBAL. XFEED VALVE INADVERTENTLY ACTIVATED BY YOUNG PAX.
Narrative: DEPARTED OUT OF ZZZ; CLBED TO FL260. AUTOPLT ON AFTER TKOF. APPROX 45 MINS AFTER TKOF; LEVELED AT FL260 OVER BELIZE. HAD A 500 LB DIFFERENCE IN FUEL GAUGES. TURNED AUTOPLT OFF; ACFT BARELY CTLABLE. REDUCED PWR ON L ENG TO CTL AIRPLANE. DISCOVERED 13 YR OLD SON ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED XFEED VALE. CLOSED XFEED VALVE. PULLED OUT EMER PROCS ON FUEL XFEEDING. XFEEDING IS ONLY FOR SINGLE ENG OPS. DID NOT FEEL SAFE SHUTTING 1 ENG DOWN. CONTACTED NID CTR AND REQUESTED LNDG IN BELIZE ASAP. THEY HANDED US TO BELIZE TWR. DSNDED AND LANDED IN BELIZE. REFUELED PLANE; HAD APPROX 400 LB DIFFERENTIAL BTWN THE 2 WINGS. I FELT I HAD MADE THE CORRECT AND SAFEST DECISION TO LAND ACFT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.