Aircraft nearly brought down by Tesco Fuel

Bill_Bodger

Last week bought 20 litres of Momentum top-grade petrol from Tesco Market Weighton, to go in the Microlight; only sensible to use spotless 20 litre plastic petrol Jerrican and filter when filling in hangar, kept stored separate for this for obvious reasons. Have a diesel car but never keep diesel in cans, no need is there?

Following weekend puts fuel in aircraft, note odd smell and yellowish hue but assume this is special high grade feature. Get off ground and see small power loss, 4000 rpm instead of the usual 4300-4500, go on photo trip using slow trim, and drop to 1000' when suddenly engine won't go back to full revs at full throttle.

Nurse it back, dodging from land-able field to land-able field and skirting any houses or similar, only just scrape into runway with 300' to spare, had to give a 'having difficulty' call and barge the circuit but fortunately instructor soon took his student out of the way.

Tesco Manager and Michelle on Customer service at Market Weighton were helpful when called, but later ring back to say contractor (Gilbarco) refuses to come out to check for contamination. Maybe they assume I'm the usual idiot who bought wrong fuel or lying? Got copy of receipt, definitely not diesel purchased, kept sample of contaminated fuel which smells of diesel and has oily feel when poured onto tray in sun to evaporate. Emptied all fuel from tank and refilled with fresh, no harm done and she goes well now, back to normal. Filters all rechecked and normal.

Not bothered about cash for petrol and lucky to avoid forced landing or any damage/injury, but fuming at being dismissed as yet another fool who fills his car with wrong type...! And yes, I DID doubt myself for a while until Michelle on the customer desk printed off confirmation that the fuel I'd bought was correct.

Fuel receipt shows 20 litres bought and container for fuel is 20 litres, so no way anything other than fuel from the Tesco got into it. Only previous fill was at the airfield's own special supply (also record kept). Now got letter from Tesco denying any problem...

bigjl

So you thought the petrol looked funny but still put it in a microlight amd went for a fly about?

Mmm.


Not sure if you are a troll or should be put forward for a Darwin Award.

Nodding_Donkey

Might be worth contacting a local paper to see if they have had other reports of people having problems from the same garage.

ETA Is checking fuel not part of your pre-flight checks? I must admit as a PPL holder I wouldn't fly if I did my walkroundand the fuel looked/smelled funny.

worried_jim

I'll give you a fiver for the unwanted petrol!

SailorSam

I'm glad you're all safe and sound but when you know how important it is to have perfect non-contaminated fuel , why didn't you fill up with the airfields own special supply,

neilmcl

I'd definitely keep pushing to have the fuel checked and if Tesco won't do it try getting it inspected independently.

What fuel do you normally use with your microlight?

Inch_High_2

Bill_Bodger wrote: »

Last week bought 20 litres of Momentum top-grade petrol from Tesco Market Weighton, to go in the Microlight; only sensible to use spotless 20 litre plastic petrol Jerrican and filter when filling in hangar, kept stored separate for this for obvious reasons. Have a diesel car but never keep diesel in cans, no need is there?

Following weekend puts fuel in aircraft, note odd smell and yellowish hue but assume this is special high grade feature. Get off ground and see small power loss, 4000 rpm instead of the usual 4300-4500, go on photo trip using slow trim, and drop to 1000' when suddenly engine won't go back to full revs at full throttle.

Nurse it back, dodging from land-able field to land-able field and skirting any houses or similar, only just scrape into runway with 300' to spare, had to give a 'having difficulty' call and barge the circuit but fortunately instructor soon took his student out of the way.

Tesco Manager and Michelle on Customer service at Market Weighton were helpful when called, but later ring back to say contractor (Gilbarco) refuses to come out to check for contamination. Maybe they assume I'm the usual idiot who bought wrong fuel or lying? Got copy of receipt, definitely not diesel purchased, kept sample of contaminated fuel which smells of diesel and has oily feel when poured onto tray in sun to evaporate. Emptied all fuel from tank and refilled with fresh, no harm done and she goes well now, back to normal. Filters all rechecked and normal.

Not bothered about cash for petrol and lucky to avoid forced landing or any damage/injury, but fuming at being dismissed as yet another fool who fills his car with wrong type...! And yes, I DID doubt myself for a while until Michelle on the customer desk printed off confirmation that the fuel I'd bought was correct.

Fuel receipt shows 20 litres bought and container for fuel is 20 litres, so no way anything other than fuel from the Tesco got into it. Only previous fill was at the airfield's own special supply (also record kept). Now got letter from Tesco denying any problem...

Well done.

You're not allowed to buy or store it in a 20 litre container. 10 litre is the maximum and it must be metal.

You bought the fuel illegally and want tesco to do something about it.

SailorSam

Op have you got a link to your story ?

Andy_L

SailorSam wrote: »

I'm glad you're all safe and sound but when you know how important it is to have perfect non-contaminated fuel , why didn't you fill up with the airfields own special supply,

Isn't aviation fuel duty/vat free?

Nodding_Donkey

Andy_L wrote: »

Isn't aviation fuel duty/vat free?

Yes but the fuel companies charge more for it.

AdrianC

Bill_Bodger wrote: »

Last week bought 20 litres of Momentum top-grade petrol from Tesco Market Weighton, to go in the Microlight; only sensible to use spotless 20 litre plastic petrol Jerrican and filter when filling in hangar, kept stored separate for this for obvious reasons.

So - hold on one moment... This jerrican has been sat around in circumstances in which others could easily take it/fill it/empty it/replace it, since you last used it?

You can see where I'm going with this, can't you?

Following weekend puts fuel in aircraft, note odd smell and yellowish hue but assume this is special high grade feature.

Ooops. From that point on, any responsibility for the repercussions is entirely yours.

If the problem was in their tanks, or in the tanker that supplied them, then there would be a big line of other customers having problems. They don't appear to have had any such problems.