december 2011 volume 11 • number 12 - American Bonanza Society

Beech Bonanza/DebonairEngine Failures,1980-2009In the 1980s and 1990s about half ofall engine failures in Beech Bonanzasand Debonairs were fuel related(Barons and Travel Airs suffer fuelmis management events as well). Inthe past decade, 91 percent of allreported engine failures were causedby fuel issues. Maybe pilots are flyinglonger trips, maybe the era of liveweather updates in the cockpit isinadvertently making pilots less diligentabout checking winds aloft andfuel planning before they take off, orperhaps pilots are trying to stretchtheir range between airports that provideless expensive fuel since pricesbegan to rise around the Millennium.This means most engine failurescan be prevented… by you. Checkall tanks for contamination beforeevery flight, switch tanks before awww.bonanza.orgfuel tank runs completely dry soyou do not interrupt fuel flow andrisk a restart problem, and disciplineyourself to land with at least onehour of fuel remaining on board. Dothese things and you can eliminatevirtually all engine failures, givencurrent trends.Entertainment, orEducation?As it turns out, conditions wereindeed close to approach minimumswhen we got to Tullahoma, and wehad to hold for about 20 minutes forour turn at the approach. As the controllergave us clearance to the holdingfix, Whit commented aloud, “It’s agood thing we have four hours of fuelin the tanks.” I certainly agreed.Members tell me accident-reviewarticles in ABS Magazine and in otherpublications are very popular. Whenyou read accounts like the one thatopened this article, ask yourself ifyou are reading merely for enter ­tainment, or if you are learningsomething and actually changingthe way you fly as a result of theunfortunate exper iences of others.With so many Beechcraft enginefailures resulting from easily preventablefuel mis management, I’velearned to anti cipate delays and tobe very conservative with my fuel.Thomas P. Turner,ABS Air SafetyFoundation ExecutiveDirector has three timesbeen accredited as aMaster CFI, was the2010 National FAASafety Team Representative of the Year,and was the 2008 FAA Central RegionFlight Instructor of the Year.PropellerSF DowtyF HartzellF McCauleyF MT PropellerF SensenichF Rapco DistributorF Large InventoryF Same Day ShippingF Uncompromised QualityF Competitive PricesF World Class WarrantyF Factory Trained TechniciansF Woodward PT6Ahttp://www.rockyprop.come-mail: rockyprop@rockyprop.com800-462-76052865 Airport Drive F Erie, CO 80516Fax: 303-665-7164 faa/EASA crs fr6r545nGovernorSVolume 11 • Number 12 AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIETY 41