One more in a long line of lives lost to misfueling.
The FAA recognized and reacted to the problem decades ago by requiring placards (part 23, 25, 27 and 29) next to the fuel filler openings on all aircraft. Another amendment to the certification regs requires a smaller filler opening for Avgas burners than for those aircraft requiring Jet fuel. Further, fuel service providers were "encouraged" to use "duckbill" nozzles (of a size larger than the maximum 2.36" diameter of an Avgas filler opening) and provide more comprehensive training to line service personnel. Some FBOs won't even fuel your aircraft without a signed service request detailing the type and amount of fuel you want.
These measures appear to have helped to some degree, along with a widely promoted pilot awareness campaign. but still the problem persists. It happens less often perhaps, but it still happens. After losing both engines on takeoff and landing off airport due to his Shrike Commander being serviced with Jet-A, well known airshow pilot Bob Hoover pitched in with the FAA in a safety initiative intended to reduce or prevent misfueling related accidents. Yeah Bob knew he screwed up and admitted it. He knew he should have monitored the fueling and should have sampled the fuel. Yet the carnage continues...
Even with all the layers of safety and error catching available, there is apparently still a lack of awareness in the pilot and line service community regarding fueling error prevention and detection. This kind of accident is so easily preventable by what most pilots would consider normal precaution or what lawyers call "ordinary care" in their lawsuit filings. Routine stuff for most. But apparently still not all.
If a single root cause for these kind of accidents can be identified, I believe that root cause is complacency. Laziness and misplaced priorities contribute in many cases as well. In a hurry, distracted by other factors, etc... The pilot is the last line of defense against, is the one responsible and the one who (along with any pax and/or innocent people on the ground) will pay the ultimate price. The chump who put the fuel in will/should feel guilty but the pilot was responsible.
With this in mind, why don't we pilots care to supervise the fueling and sample/inspect fuel from the sump drains EVERY time we refuel our Avgas burners when they are so intolerant of Jet fuel or water contamination? Is it a lack of understanding or just pure complacency?
Sorry for long rant but these kinds of accidents just make me angry!
I see from the above posted news article that one of the big aviation law practices in already on the case, so to speak. If pilots supervise the fueling, ensure the correct fuel goes in and drain/inspect fuel samples from the tank sumps after fueling, the law industry would have to look elsewhere for their parasitic sustenance. Let's all do our part to send those lawyers back to working penny-anty supermarket slip & fall cases!
westhawk