Is there anything like test strips that can be used to test for the
presence of jetA? I never even thought about the potential for jetA to be
mistakenly added to the FBO’s fuel tank! I’d always just made
sure that they were drawing from the 100LL pump.
Michael McMahon
From: Lancair Mailing
List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Chris Zavatson
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 6:32 AM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] Re: IVP down in Mesa, AZ, 3 souls lost
<<What color does 100LL turn if you mix in some
Jet-A? Maybe we should add the "sniff test" to the
preflight. We still take fuel samples as part of the preflight...
right? >>
In the case of contamination where the Avgas is diluted
with Jet fuel, it can slip by completely unnoticed. The light hue of blue
is just slightly lighter. I lost my first engine due to Jet fuel
contamination. The FBO was pumping contaminated fuel for three weeks
before folks figured out what was going on. The highest concentration of
Jet Fuel was 12%. By the time I got the bad gas it had been diluted by
two more shipments of Avgas plus what ever was left in my tanks. My
engine was fed something under 5% Jet fuel. The damage caused by that
small amount of contamination caused the insurance adjuster to opt for all
out replacement rather than repair. 180 engines were damaged. The
engines most sensitive to the contamination were turbocharged and those with
high compression pistons. There were a few emergency landings, but no
injuries. It would be interesting to know how much jet fuel it would take
before the average pilot could see or smell the difference. One thing is
certain. The engine will notice long before the pilot.
What impressed me most was how little contamination could be
so destructive.
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