| Occurrence Briefs are concise reports that detail the facts surrounding a transport safety occurrence, as received in the initial notification and any follow-up enquiries. They provide an opportunity to share safety messages in the absence of an investigation. |
What happened
On 16 December 2019, a Piper PA-32 departed from Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory for a chartered flight to Numbulwar, Northern Territory. There was one pilot and two passengers on board.
After landing in Numbulwar, the pilot conducted a post-flight inspection on the aircraft. During the inspection, he observed fuel leaking from the quick drain valve underneath the aircraft. He then conducted an inspection inside the aircraft to determine the reason for the fuel leak and found that the quick fuel drain lever had been moved into the open position.
The pilot moved the lever into the closed position and conducted a further inspection to ensure there was no more fuel leaking. It was determined that one of the passengers had inadvertently moved the quick fuel drain lever with their foot during the flight.
Safety message
This incident highlights the importance of comprehensive passenger safety briefings. A passenger briefing that includes an awareness of any controls within reach of passengers will help to ensure that these are not interfered with during the flight.
About this report
Decisions regarding whether to conduct an investigation, and the scope of an investigation, are based on many factors, including the level of safety benefit likely to be obtained from an investigation. For this occurrence, no investigation has been conducted and the ATSB did not verify the accuracy of the information. A brief description has been written using information supplied in the notification and any follow-up information in order to produce a short summary report, and allow for greater industry awareness of potential safety issues and possible safety actions.