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Distracted by loss of fuel from open fuel tank; pilot of BE60 makes expedited return to departure airport and fails to extend gear for landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 755298 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200709 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Duke 60 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | landing : roll |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 975 flight time type : 80 |
| ASRS Report | 755298 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe ground encounters : gear up landing non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : executed go around other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Took off runway 4. Passenger noticed fuel spewing from left tank. Tower also advised that it appeared fuel was siphoning from left tank. Looked over and left gas cap was loose. Advised tower we would land as soon as possible. It appeared massive amounts of fuel were being lost. I was concerned about the potential of losing the left engine. Approached mid-field for runway 17 and during flare heard a small scrape; initiated immediate go around. During excitement had failed to lower landing gear. Maneuvered aircraft for landing on runway 35. Uneventful landing; taxi to parking for refuel. Upon exiting plane; noticed left flap was scraped. During walkaround; found tips of each propeller bent about 1 inch inward. No injuries or accidents. In retrospect; I should have relaxed and taken more time in setting up for the landing. In my urgency to avoid potential fuel starvation due to the siphoning; I had a mental lapse regarding the gear. I obviously had not had too much fuel exit the wing because of the successful go around.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DISTRACTED BY LOSS OF FUEL FROM OPEN FUEL TANK; PLT OF BE60 MAKES EXPEDITED RETURN TO DEP ARPT AND FAILS TO EXTEND GEAR FOR LANDING.
Narrative: TOOK OFF RWY 4. PAX NOTICED FUEL SPEWING FROM L TANK. TWR ALSO ADVISED THAT IT APPEARED FUEL WAS SIPHONING FROM L TANK. LOOKED OVER AND L GAS CAP WAS LOOSE. ADVISED TWR WE WOULD LAND ASAP. IT APPEARED MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FUEL WERE BEING LOST. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF LOSING THE L ENG. APCHED MID-FIELD FOR RWY 17 AND DURING FLARE HEARD A SMALL SCRAPE; INITIATED IMMEDIATE GAR. DURING EXCITEMENT HAD FAILED TO LOWER LNDG GEAR. MANEUVERED ACFT FOR LNDG ON RWY 35. UNEVENTFUL LNDG; TAXI TO PARKING FOR REFUEL. UPON EXITING PLANE; NOTICED L FLAP WAS SCRAPED. DURING WALKAROUND; FOUND TIPS OF EACH PROP BENT ABOUT 1 INCH INWARD. NO INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS. IN RETROSPECT; I SHOULD HAVE RELAXED AND TAKEN MORE TIME IN SETTING UP FOR THE LNDG. IN MY URGENCY TO AVOID POTENTIAL FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE SIPHONING; I HAD A MENTAL LAPSE REGARDING THE GEAR. I OBVIOUSLY HAD NOT HAD TOO MUCH FUEL EXIT THE WING BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESSFUL GAR.
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.