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PA34 pilot experiences dual engine failure due to fuel starvation resulting from fuel cross feed feeding both engines from left tank.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 744718 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200707 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 10000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-34-200 Seneca I |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 2660 flight time type : 1760 |
| ASRS Report | 744778 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
On first leg of trip; I noticed what seemed to be a slightly uneven fuel burn between right and left engines. After landing for fuel; I checked xfeed valve as safety precaution should that feature be needed on the second leg. After refueling and engine start; I missed checking the xfeed and proceeded on the second leg with both engines served by the left tank. The inevitable happened; with the right engine starved for fuel. I declared an emergency. Unfortunately the controller seemed more interested in handling other traffic; though I was certain that he monitored the call because he confirmed which aircraft had declared the emergency. I had to request information about the nearest airport. About that time the fuel starvation affected the left engine. The controller continued with other traffic so I had to break in to ask for radar vectors since there was considerable cloud cover. The landing was hard enough to collapse the right main strut after stretching out the approach.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PA34 PLT EXPERIENCES DUAL ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION RESULTING FROM FUEL CROSS FEED FEEDING BOTH ENGINES FROM LEFT TANK.
Narrative: ON FIRST LEG OF TRIP; I NOTICED WHAT SEEMED TO BE A SLIGHTLY UNEVEN FUEL BURN BTWN R AND L ENGS. AFTER LNDG FOR FUEL; I CHKED XFEED VALVE AS SAFETY PRECAUTION SHOULD THAT FEATURE BE NEEDED ON THE SECOND LEG. AFTER REFUELING AND ENG START; I MISSED CHKING THE XFEED AND PROCEEDED ON THE SECOND LEG WITH BOTH ENGS SERVED BY THE L TANK. THE INEVITABLE HAPPENED; WITH THE R ENG STARVED FOR FUEL. I DECLARED AN EMER. UNFORTUNATELY THE CTLR SEEMED MORE INTERESTED IN HANDLING OTHER TFC; THOUGH I WAS CERTAIN THAT HE MONITORED THE CALL BECAUSE HE CONFIRMED WHICH ACFT HAD DECLARED THE EMER. I HAD TO REQUEST INFO ABOUT THE NEAREST ARPT. ABOUT THAT TIME THE FUEL STARVATION AFFECTED THE L ENG. THE CTLR CONTINUED WITH OTHER TFC SO I HAD TO BREAK IN TO ASK FOR RADAR VECTORS SINCE THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CLOUD COVER. THE LNDG WAS HARD ENOUGH TO COLLAPSE THE R MAIN STRUT AFTER STRETCHING OUT THE APCH.
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.