This is why we train (kind of long)

On 13 Jan 2004 11:01:12 -0800, (Michael) wrote:



I don't really see how even all three factors in combination would
account for the discrepancy. 40 burned from the left, 60 from the
right. Just doesn't make sense.

Just a quick follow up. Your hunches were correct, I did have a fuel
leak so to speak in the right tank. About a week later, I took the
plane on a short X/C to deliever a passenger to another town about 30
mins away. About half way there, he spoke up and said, what is that
blue stuff coming out of the wing. I looked over at the right wing
and saw a stream of fuel coming out of the inspection cover on the
right tank. Once we landed, I took a screwdriver and was able to get
almost 1/4 turn on every screw. On the flight back it did not leak.

I did not see this after my leather sucking flight that night. The
only thing that I can think had happened was the moisture that I was
flying in had washed it away so the evidence was not all that clear.


Scott

SD sdatverizondot.net@ wrote
I looked over at the right wing
and saw a stream of fuel coming out of the inspection cover on the
right tank. Once we landed, I took a screwdriver and was able to get
almost 1/4 turn on every screw. On the flight back it did not leak.

I agree that you have found the problem. I would not be so certain
that you have fixed it. An inspection cover of that sort is going to
have a gasket. I suspect your gasket is now compromised. If it were
my plane, I would think real hard about replacing that gasket.
Otherwise I think it's going to do it again.

I did not see this after my leather sucking flight that night. The
only thing that I can think had happened was the moisture that I was
flying in had washed it away so the evidence was not all that clear.

That's quite likely. I once had a similar problem with the fuel cap
on my aux tank, and moisture made it go away.

This is why flying with inop fuel gauges is not acceptable. They
don't tell you much, but they do tell you when you have a fuel leak.

Michael