Fueling aircraft with the wrong type of fuel can lead to a complete loss of engine power causing serious injury or death. This is most critical when an aircraft powered by a reciprocating engine is fueled with kerosene-based jet-A fuel rather than aviation gasoline (avgas). According to the FAA, a reciprocating engine burning jet-A fuel at high power settings suffers detonations, rapid loss of power, and high cylinder head temperatures, quickly followed by a complete engine failure.
For a variety of reasons, according to investigators, reciprocating engine-powered aircraft continue to crash with the wrong type of fuel in their tanks. These crashes are often deadly since there is just enough avgas in the aircraft’s fuel system to take off and begin its initial climb. At a low altitude, the mixture of jet-A (versus avgas) can become great enough to cause an engine failure (or in the case of a multi-engine airplane, engine failures).
Pilot, safety expert, consultant, and aviation journalist Stuart “Kipp” Lau writes about flight safety and airmanship for AIN.
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