Today's Message Index:
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1. 03:15 PM - =?iso-8859-1?Q?=22We_Love_RV's=22_Invitational_Luncheon_April_18th_2009_a?= =?iso-8859-1?Q?t_Leeward_Air_Ranch? (Esten Spears)
2. 06:22 PM - Re: on Fuel Pump (fuel selector valve?) (pcowper@webtv.net (Pete Cowper))
3. 10:04 PM - Re: Re: on Fuel Pump (fuel selector valve?) (Jerry Springer)
4. 11:11 PM - Re: Re: on Fuel Pump (fuel selector valve?) (John Cox)
Message 1
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| Subject: | =?iso-8859-1?Q?=22We_Love_RV's=22_Invitational_Luncheon_April_18th_2009_a?= |
=?iso-8859-1?Q?t_Leeward_Air_Ranch?
The Leeward Air Ranch RVators are having their Annual "We Love RV's"
Invitational Luncheon April 18th at Leeward Air Ranch, (FD04), near
Ocala, FL. April 18th is the weekend before Sun n Fun. We expect a lot
of out of state RV's since we are only 67NM North of Lakeland (LAL). We
are tentatively setting the 19th as a rain date.
This gathering is by invitation only. If you think you can make it,
Please email:RVators@Gmail.com with your name and number of people that
will attend with you (wife, kids, or friends), what RV or other plane
you will be arriving in, or note if driving (car/motorcycle).
We will email you back with an Invitation including flying, driving, and
Event Information.
Please inform any other RV Enthusiasts you know about our Gathering and
have them email us with the info requested for their personal invitation
(name added to invitee list).
The many RVators at Leeward Air Ranch hope you can make it!
Message 2
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| Subject: | Re: on Fuel Pump (fuel selector valve?) |
Periodic lubrication of the fuel selector valve appears to be necessary
to prevent failure. Using an improper grease can still allow corrosion
to cause the selector valve to fail..
An example is the John Denver crash. The fuel selector valve in John
Denver's Long-Eze failed leaving him unable to switch to his other tank
which had about 45 minutes of remaining fuel. During post-crash NTSB
testing the valve flowed fine from the empty tank but would not flow
from the other tank with the remaining fuel where the valve was pointed.
Before his last flight a witness who worked the fuel truck at the
Monterey FBO watched him starting his engine. It cranked first without
starting, then John Denver reached around to the bulkhead behind his
shoulder and turned the fuel selector valve and resumed cranking and the
engine caught. He intended to do practice touch and goes and purposely
did not want full tanks. When one tank ran out he tried to switch tanks
and being unsuccessful in restarting the engine he unfortunately did not
quit troubleshooting and "fly the airplane."
The valve used in John Denver's plane had failed hundreds of times in
other planes over the years due to improper maintenance. Expert A&P
witnesses confirmed that no instruction on proper lubricants had ever
been issued. The company agreed to belatedly send out a maintenance
notice specifying the proper type of lubricant to service their fuel
selector valve as part of their settlement with the Denver family. Be
sure to confirm what lubricant should be used on your particular fuel
selector valve.
Checking both tank levels before flight doesn't help if you can't get to
he fuel. A lesson learned is to switch tanks before running one tank so
low you don't have enough fuel to make it to the next airport with fuel
if you can't get to your fuller tank.
Pete Cowper
RV8 #81139
Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association Member
Message 3
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| Subject: | Re: on Fuel Pump (fuel selector valve?) |
Pete Cowper wrote:
>
>Periodic lubrication of the fuel selector valve appears to be necessary
>to prevent failure. Using an improper grease can still allow corrosion
>to cause the selector valve to fail..
>
>An example is the John Denver crash. The fuel selector valve in John
>Denver's Long-Eze failed leaving him unable to switch to his other tank
>which had about 45 minutes of remaining fuel.
>
I do not believe you are stating all of the fact sir, while the
investgators could not move the valve after the crash
it was not a failed valve that caused the crash. It was Mr Denvers
inability to reach the valve at the location
where it was mounted that caused the crash, even when he added vice
grips to the valve he still could not reach
without physically turning his body which in turn caused aggresive
control inputs. It was testified that the valve worked
although stiff with good dentents before the crash.
To blindly blame the valve I guess is a lawyer tactic.
Jerry
PROBABLE CAUSE
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause
of this accident was the pilot's diversion of attention from the
operation of the airplane and his inadvertent application of right
rudder that resulted in the loss of airplane control while attempting to
manipulate the fuel selector handle. Also, the Board determines that the
pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparations, specifically his
failure to refuel the airplane, was causal. The Board determines that
the builder's decision to locate the unmarked fuel selector handle in a
hard-to-access position, unmarked fuel quantity sight gauges, inadequate
transition training by the pilot, and his lack of total experience in
this type of airplane were factors in this acccident.
Message 4
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| Subject: | Re: on Fuel Pump (fuel selector valve?) |
Thanks Jerry. I too took exception to the inference of a stuck valve rather
than the facts as I had read them years ago. It is a good thing to review
builder planning and sound maintenance practices.
Facts should always win out over speculation and inference. Nice work.
John Cox
From: Jerry Springer
Sent: Mon 3/16/2009 10:01 PM
Subject: Re: RV-List: Re: on Fuel Pump (fuel selector valve?)
Pete Cowper wrote:
>
>Periodic lubrication of the fuel selector valve appears to be necessary
>to prevent failure. Using an improper grease can still allow corrosion
>to cause the selector valve to fail..
>
>An example is the John Denver crash. The fuel selector valve in John
>Denver's Long-Eze failed leaving him unable to switch to his other tank
>which had about 45 minutes of remaining fuel.
>
I do not believe you are stating all of the fact sir, while the
investgators could not move the valve after the crash
it was not a failed valve that caused the crash. It was Mr Denvers
inability to reach the valve at the location
where it was mounted that caused the crash, even when he added vice
grips to the valve he still could not reach
without physically turning his body which in turn caused aggresive
control inputs. It was testified that the valve worked
although stiff with good dentents before the crash.
To blindly blame the valve I guess is a lawyer tactic.
Jerry
PROBABLE CAUSE
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause
of this accident was the pilot's diversion of attention from the
operation of the airplane and his inadvertent application of right
rudder that resulted in the loss of airplane control while attempting to
manipulate the fuel selector handle. Also, the Board determines that the
pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparations, specifically his
failure to refuel the airplane, was causal. The Board determines that
the builder's decision to locate the unmarked fuel selector handle in a
hard-to-access position, unmarked fuel quantity sight gauges, inadequate
transition training by the pilot, and his lack of total experience in
this type of airplane were factors in this acccident.
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