Fuel leak

Stephen Shore

Stephen Shore

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Sep 30, 2017
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422
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Longview, TX
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sshore
I flew my Commander 114B about 4 days ago. As is my practice, I topped it off and put it in the hanger. Came out today and saw a puddle of gas under the middle of the airplane. It is leaking out of the vent down on the underside middle of the fuselage.

The fuel selector was left on "both". The left tank is filled to the absolute brim - higher than I normally fill it. The right tank is several inches low down the tab - noticeably lower than I normally fill it.

The temperatures in Texas are very cool - 70's because of the rain we are getting. All summer I have followed this same procedure in the heat of the summer and never had any problem.

Any idea on what this is and why now?

thanks.
 
Not famaliar with the SOP for the Commanders. However, if you select one tank rather than “both”, it should prevent fuel from flowing from one side to the other and overfilling. You must have parked with one side slightly lower than the other, and gravity worked it’s magic.
 
Last edited:
Stephen Shore said:
I flew my Commander 114B about 4 days ago. As is my practice, I topped it off and put it in the hanger. Came out today and saw a puddle of gas under the middle of the airplane. It is leaking out of the vent down on the underside middle of the fuselage.

The fuel selector was left on "both". The left tank is filled to the absolute brim - higher than I normally fill it. The right tank is several inches low down the tab - noticeably lower than I normally fill it.

The temperatures in Texas are very cool - 70's because of the rain we are getting. All summer I have followed this same procedure in the heat of the summer and never had any problem.

Any idea on what this is and why now?

thanks.
Click to expand...

My 112A POH says turn gas to off.

Fuel flows almost right below the tank switch and can leak if left as in.
 
I think the problem is the "both" setting. I have never had a low wing airplane with that setting - and the checklist for landing / takeoff calls for "both". Obviously I need to switch it either to a tank or "off" to keep this from happening. In my Beech, I just always left it on "left" as that was my routine for TO - I always started every trip on "left". In this airplane, I left it on "both" after landing since that is where it needed to be for TO as well.

That routine has now changed. I wonder if there is any other low wing airplane with a "both" setting. I always thought that was a high wing set up.
 
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