Originally Posted by
bolthead
Don't know if fitted, but have witnessed before on same type, the pilot pays little to no attention to the fuel gauge and concentrates on the fuel computer ( I would believe which ever one is less ). How accurate is the fuel computer? How accurate are the numbers entered? It might under read a bit or over read a bit which adds up over a few weeks if you are just entering fuel added. If it is under reading , unless you fill tanks full, you will never know until it goes very quiet.
That aircraft type is tricky to physically check a part fuel load. If they depart the main bases with full fuel, it is easy to do a daily check of the computer and gauge when filled again. Possibly their loads limit that.
Back in my day, there were no fuel computers in any of the aircraft, that could have changed but I'm fairly sure it hasn't.
Originally Posted by
Capt Fathom
It’s not that hard.
These pilots fly the same routes every day… same aircraft, same payload, same fuel load. Something got missed on this occasion.
Originally Posted by
On eyre
Yes - like adding fuel 😳😳
You're right in saying the same fuel every day, from memory the Parkes freight run is fuelled to full tanks out of Bankstown (by the truck) and then it was generally refuelled in Parkes during the day, pilots often didn't fuel in Parkes if the weather was good. Generally (if no Inter or Tempo) you had enough fuel to get back to Bankstown without refuelling.
It seems that a likely cause was the aircraft wasn't refuelled at all or to the correct full tanks amount and the pilot may not have realised.
The ATSB in their latest report is calling it a "Fuel Exhaustion" indicating they found the tanks to be dry.