semiole fuel starvation in ATL

[johnpeace]

I heard a rumor the other day that I want to fish for more info on, in case anyone here is close to the people or plane this happened to.

What we heard:
between wednesday & friday last week (7/19-7/22)...
a MEI, his student and the student's girlfriend...
were on an XC from Ga. to Fl. in a Seminole...
The plane and instructor were from The Flight School at LZU...
On the return trip a tank went dry and an engine stopped...
they emergency landed at Tara Field on one engine...
had 5 gals in the other (running engine side) tank...

Anyone hear about this or have any more information or clarification?

 

[whaleroast]

Sounds like fuel starvation.

 

[BushwickBill]

Same thing happend as Flight Safety when I was there. I bet it was at night and they didn't have a flashlight to check fuel levels

 

[NYCPilot]

Non-flying friends are always amazed when I tell them how often accidents/emergency landings related to fuel starvation occur. With so many other less-controllable variables that could go wrong, such a preventable incident that a pilot has more control over, should be better managed.

 

[johnpeace]

...such a preventable incident that a pilot has more control over, should be better managed.

Uh, yeah. Definitely a bonehead maneuver.

 

[Tram]

Yeh, we had like 2 events about a year or so ago with ATP that now, no ATP seminole leaves the ground without 108 usable onboard..

 

[W.S.C.O.D.]

was this an ATP seminole?
I know they are not supposed to have any pax but they are also not supposed to run out of fuel.
Just wondering cuz they have locations in GA & FL.

 

[johnpeace]

was this an ATP seminole?

Nope.

 

[desnapper]

Every flight leaves with 108? With just an instructor and student at average pax weight that's a little forward on the CG is it not?

 

[casper1nine]

there's always some bonehead maneuvers going on at tara field.
n3035l comes to mind.
-casper

 

[Tram]

Every flight leaves with 108? With just an instructor and student at average pax weight that's a little forward on the CG is it not?

Yup.. You land and get out, you top it off.. 108..

If you cg it with 370lbs worth of pilots, no rear pax and 30lbs of baggage, I think the cg works out to be ~87.6 @ ~3570lbs and it's right in the acceptable envelope..

 

[bender]

Sometimes if you have a large student/examiner along you might be right on the forward edge of the envelope. That's when a case of oil in the baggage compartment might help out.

For a joy flight from FL to Atlanta there's no excuse for fuel starvation.

 

[Tram]

There's a case of oil in the back of all the ATP 'Nole's.

 

[KigAir]

The Seneca I did my multi training in had 90 lbs of lead in the back to help the cg.