Managing fuel

Causes of fuel-related accidents include fuel exhaustion, fuel starvation, fuel contamination, wrong fuel type, and general issues like fuel leaks, mechanical problems, and carburetor icing.

However, miscalculating fuel requirements during flight planning and improper fuel quantity monitoring during the flight are generally fundamental to why an airplane runs out of fuel before arriving at its destination.

Fuel exhaustion and fuel starvation are the top fuel-related accident causes. The difference? Fuel exhaustion happens when an airplane simply runs out of fuel, whereas fuel starvation occurs when an airplane has usable fuel that cannot reach the engine.

Preventing fuel exhaustion

During preflight:

• Measure available fuel quantity

• Carefully calculate fuel endurance

• Select adequate fuel stops based on conservative fuel burn estimates, including the latest winds aloft forecast

In the air:

• Monitor fuel burn

• Lean the engine properly

• Periodically determine remaining fuel in hours and minutes

• Be prepared to divert, and land when head winds threaten planned fuel reserves

Preventing fuel starvation

• Thoroughly study your aircraft’s fuel system

• Verify that the fuel selector is secured in the proper position

• Avoid switching tanks during critical phases of flight (initial climb and on approach) as it takes time to draw fuel from the selected tank

• Check that fuel selectors are not binding or damaged

• Inspect fuel filters to avoid clogging the system

Note: Pay careful attention when transitioning to an aircraft with an unfamiliar fuel system. Know how and when to use fuel pumps such as boost or fuel transfer pumps to feed fuel from auxiliary tanks. Also, set a timer as a reminder to switch tanks in flight.

Fuel management considerations

Use a dip stick calibrated for your airplane to visually inspect and confirm fuel quantity in each tank. If you use a fuel computer, input the starting fuel quantity so it will calculate fuel burned and how much is left. When manually calculating fuel burn, consider available fuel in hours and minutes instead of gallons and pounds. While fuel range may vary with changing winds and ground speeds, fuel endurance is based on how much fuel the engine burns at a given combination of altitude, power, and mixture settings to determine hourly fuel consumption.

Lastly, if you notice high fuel consumption, reduced performance, faulty gauges, or inconsistent readings, talk to your mechanic before your next flight.