Carl Pattinson wrote:
> ...
> I know I have said this before and I don't think that I can overemphasise it
but
> contaminated fuel should simply not be allowed to get into the fuel tank in
> the
> first place (obviously water is a different matter). It is very easy to devise
> an arrangement that filters the fuel as it is being poured into the fuel tank.
> This is by far the best way of preventing a blockage in the fuel system....
Yep. I have the all the NTSB data files on thousands of U.S.
accidents. Fuel contamination by "crud" is very rare, except in
homebuilts, where it is builder-caused through improper fiberglass
tank fabrication, sloshing compounds, rubber fittings. In production
A/C, crud comes from contaminated fuel cans for those using autogas,
or poorly-maintained, decrepit birds parked in the weeds. For water,
it's mostly bad filler caps after heavy rain. Condensation is a
problem if over a long period of many fills, bad tank design permits
it to accumulate, thus the tank drain (vs. gascolator draining)
doesn't evacuate it until an A/C flight attitude starts it flowing.
Neither contaminant is introduced from the fuel supply as purchased.
You'd be surprised at the number of people who drain really prodigious
amounts of contaminant, and rather than diagnose what caused it, just
go flying after she drains clear. As so explained to an NTSB
investigator if they survive.
Put another way, where's the gascolator and tank drains on my Dodge
and Toyota? Do I even know the fuel filter change schedule? What's
the evidence I should care about any of this?
Regards,
Fred F.
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