Final report is out:

http://www.bfu-web.de/cln_030/nn_226...0_Hannover.pdf

The red Fuel Low Light was already on for 15min, when the engine quits...:=

skadi

Wonder if the insurance company is going to pay out on that then! :eek:

OH

"The fuel warning indicator (FUEL) had already lit up about 15 minutes"

"His total flying experience amounted to approximately 9408 hours, of which he flew more than 5000 on the affected type. His flight experience with external load transport was about 2 000 hours...."

"...registered for the training of private pilots" :ugh::ugh::ugh:



That's what you call early retirement.... :eek: :eek: :eek:

Apologies - I don't read German. Did it give any reason why he continued to fly the job with the fuel light on?

I wouldn't call that a :ok:.... especially considering he's probably out the cost of a 350/the repairs there of, now with the insurance :D:D:D applauding his skills...
...........don't mean: He knew where the fuel wasn't...... not in the tank :\

No retirement plan. He's the owner of the aircraft as well as the company :ok:

The report in the link above is in english...

skadi

This whole scenario brings to mind the Harrier that landed(?) on a container ship out at sea.

Slack

Noted. I looked when first posted and thought German. Must get eyes tested.

And the short answer is NO.

Not really. That pilot didn't know where his fuel was and landed before it ran out. This guy knew where his fuel was and didn't land before it ran out.

The fuel gauge ..
 

.. should not be mistaken for a precision instrument.

In fairness to John, the link seemed originally to open a German report!

Ahm,...excuse me, at 7%?!? Is this guy nuts? I mean we all make mistakes, but I always check on the fuel. It scares me just to think of it to continue operations once the warning light annunciates on the panel. :ugh:

Not really. What makes him nuts, is the fact that he KNEW he had been flying for 15min with the light on... This gauge was incorrect, and he relied on that. After all the investigation showed that it was only 2 ltr left in the tank, (alot less than 7 % which is 37,5 ltr) and just about what is published as unusable fuel in the 350.

Everyone that have been flying external ops in the 350(any machine really) have been subject to on the limit liftjobs, and therfore use of limited fuel to be carried. There is nothing that prevent you from flying with the light on in short priods to get the job done, but you must know what you're doing and follow a procedure.... In short: TIME

Now, can you dispatch a helicopter with the fuel gauge inop?? According to my MEL I can, provided I have a way to figure out when to land. Known amount of fuel put in the tank, and TIMED operation.

So the conclusion is: when the light comes on, start the time and know exactly how long you can safely operate, and ofcourse in the perfect world, never even see the light come on..
This has been working for me for many years.

Or maybe I am just nuts?!:eek:

Everyone is different. I have flown 350's for more than 8000 hours and have never flown until the light came on.

@Nubian; fine as long as you know what to do. But I was told on more than one occasion that fuel is one of the easiest things where one can screw up. If you are nuts or not is left for you to decide. However, me thinks this guy is nuts. :} And he was lucky not to get killed based on that blunder.

I thought most if not all countries regs require a minimum fuel amount that would be above the fuel light level. If I'm not wrong on that, then Nubian the lifts you're doing need to be done by a more capable aircraft in order for you to operate legally.

Remaining usable fuel FUEL allows approximately 18 minutes level


Even though he had so much experience, makes me wander when this

darrenphughes

Not quite... I the US, the FAR's state you may not BEGIN a flight unless you have enough fuel to fly to your first point of intended landed plus 20 minutes... FAR 91.151 .

Firstly... It mentions NOTHING about ENDING the flight, there is no regulatory requirement to "land" with that 20 minutes worth of fuel....

Secondly... Each aircraft light is NOT set to 20 minutes.

You can legally LAND with zero fuel... Not that I recommend it....

Welcome to the real world outside of flight instruction.....

aluette,
Did you miss my remark in the first sentence? "what makes him nuts"....
Yes, as I explained, you need to know what you're doing. Otherwise, you're as you said....nuts;)

Decredenza
As for flying 8000 hrs, without the light coming on, congrats to you. I'm not sure if we're doing the same type job then.

Flyting
As for the fuel-light in the 350, is yello (amber,across the pond) not red. So, no emergency.

Darrensphughes,
And for recalculating lifts, so you would be legal or use a more suitable aircraft. Yeah right!.... Call in the 214 to lift a load that is under the legal limit at altitude, but temperature is just a little high, and it's for one lift now and then inbetween 100's....yeah.

Gordy,
Spot on!