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BillDube@killacycle.com wrote:
About a
year ago I did a little "Google" research on the John Denver fatal
crash. The bottom line appeared to be that one tank was empty, and the
fuel selector was not fully turned to the other tank. (It was in a very
awkward position to reach, and this may have also caused the pilot to
auger in while attempting to reach it.) Thus, it was in the equivalent
of a "both" position. This caused air to be drawn in to the fuel supply
line from the dry tank. This, in turn, caused the pump to lose its
prime and stop pumping fuel to the engine.
That ain't exactly how it happened, but it can
be readily stretched enough to support an arrived at position.
As Perry mentions in his post, only a gravity feed fuel system
can have a "both" type fuel selector. Low-wing aircraft Does that mean most of the components of the fuel
delivery system are above the fuel level or what? that have
negative pressure in the fuel lines from the tanks must NOT have a
"both" position on the fuel selector, otherwise the pump (or the sump)
will suck air if one tank runs dry (or if there is a leak in a fuel
line.)
Does mid wing (like canards) count as low wingh
or high wing? Fuel delivery components are [typically] below the fuel
level, but there isn't much head pressure
This kind of makes you want to put a pump in each tank.
Not me, but if that's the solution you've
chosen, you can justify it with that reasoning.
At 06:56 PM 5/28/2005, you wrote:
Rotary Enthusiasts:
I have not had time to keep up with the message traffic on this list in
real time. But I did take some time this weekend to search the archives
for clues to Paul Conner's accident. I found he made a major mistake in
his fuel system. It does not mean this was the cause of the accident,
but it's possible. I want to make sure no other Canarders out there do
something similar.
Attached are two pictures from the Long-EZ plans. You see the fuel
system is a low-wing fuel system, like a Piper. Pipers and other low
wing aircraft do not use a L-R-BOTH-OFF fuel selector valve, they only
use L-R-OFF. Only high wing Cessna's use the L-R-BOTH-OFF system.
Here is the link to the message where Paul says he uses a L-R-BOTH and
normally runs on BOTH. He says he did that on his previous Long-EZ as
well, but that also was an error.
Bill Dube <LED@Killacycle.com>
http://www.killacycle.com/Lights.htm
Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/
Archive: http://lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/List.html
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