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Confused by the proximity of a large fuel tank labeled '100LL' (100 octane low lead gasoline); inexperienced pilots of a small aircraft fill their aircraft with a nozzle which dispenses jet fuel. Engine failure shortly after takeoff ensues.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 669084 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200508 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : kic.airport |
| Altitude | agl single value : 200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | observation : observer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 92 flight time total : 188 flight time type : 41.5 |
| ASRS Report | 669084 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition other |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Airport |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Situations | |
| Airport | other physical facility |
Narrative:
My friend; who is a private pilot; rented an airplane (symphony omf-100) from an FBO located at rhv. We flew cross country from rhv to sbp. Then flew from sbp to kic; and refueled at kic. After refueling; we took off heading back to rhv. Once airborne; I found out that there was something wrong. At that time; the plane just lifted off the ground about 200 ft AGL. Our engine lost power and the RPM could not go more than 2250 RPM. Therefore; we decided to land the plane. We turned back and landed the plane safely. After landing; we started to think what the cause was. We realized that maybe there was something wrong with the fuel. We went back to the gas pump area and see what was wrong. We saw the nozzle had a small sticker says 'jet a.' we thought we pumped 100LL because next to the nozzle; there was a big tank with a big label says '100LL.' we had confidence the time the nozzle we used was pumping the fuel from that big 100LL tank. Unfortunately; it was not. I found that the way of the gas station's set up the tank was quite confusing. The nozzle handle had a small sticker labeling 'jet a.' we were unable to notice that at that time. Plus it was nighttime. It was hard to see. I believe we could have avoided this misfueling incident if the big tank; which had a big label 100LL; is not right next to the nozzle. We both had learned a lesson; and we will pay extra caution in the future of refueling airplanes.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CONFUSED BY THE PROXIMITY OF A LARGE FUEL TANK LABELED '100LL' (100 OCTANE LOW LEAD GASOLINE); INEXPERIENCED PLTS OF A SMA FILL THEIR ACFT WITH A NOZZLE WHICH DISPENSES JET FUEL. ENG FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER TKOF ENSUES.
Narrative: MY FRIEND; WHO IS A PVT PLT; RENTED AN AIRPLANE (SYMPHONY OMF-100) FROM AN FBO LOCATED AT RHV. WE FLEW XCOUNTRY FROM RHV TO SBP. THEN FLEW FROM SBP TO KIC; AND REFUELED AT KIC. AFTER REFUELING; WE TOOK OFF HEADING BACK TO RHV. ONCE AIRBORNE; I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG. AT THAT TIME; THE PLANE JUST LIFTED OFF THE GND ABOUT 200 FT AGL. OUR ENG LOST POWER AND THE RPM COULD NOT GO MORE THAN 2250 RPM. THEREFORE; WE DECIDED TO LAND THE PLANE. WE TURNED BACK AND LANDED THE PLANE SAFELY. AFTER LNDG; WE STARTED TO THINK WHAT THE CAUSE WAS. WE REALIZED THAT MAYBE THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE FUEL. WE WENT BACK TO THE GAS PUMP AREA AND SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. WE SAW THE NOZZLE HAD A SMALL STICKER SAYS 'JET A.' WE THOUGHT WE PUMPED 100LL BECAUSE NEXT TO THE NOZZLE; THERE WAS A BIG TANK WITH A BIG LABEL SAYS '100LL.' WE HAD CONFIDENCE THE TIME THE NOZZLE WE USED WAS PUMPING THE FUEL FROM THAT BIG 100LL TANK. UNFORTUNATELY; IT WAS NOT. I FOUND THAT THE WAY OF THE GAS STATION'S SET UP THE TANK WAS QUITE CONFUSING. THE NOZZLE HANDLE HAD A SMALL STICKER LABELING 'JET A.' WE WERE UNABLE TO NOTICE THAT AT THAT TIME. PLUS IT WAS NIGHTTIME. IT WAS HARD TO SEE. I BELIEVE WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS MISFUELING INCIDENT IF THE BIG TANK; WHICH HAD A BIG LABEL 100LL; IS NOT RIGHT NEXT TO THE NOZZLE. WE BOTH HAD LEARNED A LESSON; AND WE WILL PAY EXTRA CAUTION IN THE FUTURE OF REFUELING AIRPLANES.
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.