Fuel In Your Tank

SAFETY SPOTLIGHT: Fuel Management

Photography of a pilot using a universal fuel gauge.
Newton, KS USA

No one intends to run out of fuel, and most pilots who have dipped into their fuel reserves vow never to do it again. But through a combination of circumstances and poor decisions, pilots still crash short—often in sight of their destination.

Accident Statistics for Fuel Management

Accident Case Study: Faulty Assumptions

In the early morning light on April 22, 2019, the pilot of a Beechcraft Baron 58 preflighted his aircraft before greeting his five passengers. The flight would take just over one hour. But the pilot’s mistaken beliefs about existing onboard fuel would prove disastrous and clinch the flight’s outcome.

Range vs. Endurance

Think of available fuel in hours and minutes instead of gallons and pounds. While range will vary constantly due to changing winds and ground speeds, endurance is based on how much fuel the engine burns at a given combination of altitude, power setting, and mixture setting. Your pilot’s operating handbook (POH) will provide guidance to determine hourly fuel consumption.

Usable Fuel

Fuel computers will calculate fuel burned and how much is left, but you still must input the starting fuel quantity. A dipstick is a good way to measure fuel, however make sure it’s calibrated for your airplane.

Think of available fuel in hours and minutes instead of gallons and pounds. Fuel Management

Miscalibrated calculation

The aircraft was fueled before the first skydiving flight, and the pilot used the provided dipstick to determine that each tank contained between seven and seven and a half gallons of usable fuel. He intended to refuel before taking up the second skydiving team, but the business operator insisted he make the flight without refueling. When the airplane returned to the airport, the engine lost power before landing due to fuel exhaustion.

The company used a 1956 Cessna 182 owner’s manual to operate the 1957 Cessna 182A. The 182 manual includes total fuel capacity, unusable fuel for straight and level flight, and unusable fuel for all flight conditions. The 182A manual, which the operator should have been using, mentions five gallons unusable fuel in each tank (or 10 total) for all flight conditions. The pilot was aware of this limit.

Testing the accuracy of the fuel dipstick and calibration card revealed that with two gallons of fuel in each tank, the measured level was below the minimum specified on the calibration card—meaning there was no usable fuel. With three gallons of fuel in each tank, the measured level in the left and right tanks—correlated to the calibration card—indicated a half-gallon usable fuel and below the minimum specified level, respectively.

Pilot Safety Announcement: Would You Fly This Airline?

Imagine if the airlines handled fuel management the way some general aviation pilots do. Sit back, relax, and watch this witty reminder to pay attention to fueling and in-flight fuel management.

Fuel Management Made Easy

At nearly 70 fuel-related general aviation accidents per year, fuel mismanagement warrants concern. Fuel Management Made Easy explores how to prevent fuel contamination, monitor fuel consumption, and manage fuel systems.