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Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:18:59 -0400
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Subject: fuel starvation due to leaky valve and one empty tank
From: "bob mackey" <n103md@yahoo.com>
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Tom, thanks for sharing this:
> ... A factor that was not brought up was something that happened to
> Paul Loewen from Laser Plane Sales many years ago.  He flight tested a
> Mooney with one tank completely dry (I believe it was run dry so it
> could have the fuel tank resealed).  During flight testing, he ended
> up with a fuel starvation that was determined later to be a slight
> leakage of the fuel selector valve.  Air has much less resistance
> for the fuel pump than fuel does.

I have routinely run my 235 wing tanks try at high altitude
before switching to the nose. Doing so minimizes the unusable
fuel, but introduces a new risk from a leaky valve.

I will rethink that practice, though I'm not sure how to make
sure there is still a gallon in each wing, as there are no
fuel gauges there. That's 16 pounds of flammable dead weight.
I could add an optical sensor with relatively
little effort (another potential leak). Or maybe I should just
inspect and maintain that valve to minimize the probability
of internal leakage. Hmmmm.