Aircraft & Engine
Drain and Check Fuel Before Every Flight
Drain fuel from all points before every flight, let fuel settle after refuelling (15 min per 30 cm for avgas), and get an engineer's check if contamination persists after three drains.
1 min readKapiti Aero Club safety team
40% of engine failures are caused by fuel exhaustion, starvation or contamination. This message focuses on contamination.
Fuel contamination is a foreign substance such as water, dirt or fungi in the fuel. It can stop the engine by inhibiting combustion, blocking fuel lines or damaging fuel system components.
To mitigate it:
- Drain fuel from all available points during the pre-flight – before every flight, not just the first flight of the day.
- This is especially important after refuelling or if the aircraft has been left outside overnight.
- After refuelling, let the fuel settle for as long as possible. A minimum of 15 minutes per 30 cm depth of fuel is recommended for avgas. On a cross-country, it may pay to refuel first, before doing other tasks.
- Discard drained fuel into one of our jerry cans.
If contaminants are present, consult an instructor. If contaminants are still present after three drains, the aircraft may need to be examined by the engineers.