# SAIB CE-10-01: Fuel: Fuel Tank Selector Valve Systems - Type: Special airworthiness information bulletin (advisory, not mandatory) - Status: Current - Revision: 0 - Issued: October 5, 2009 - Products: Cessna 310, 310A, 310B, 310C, 310D, 310E, 310F, 310G, 310H, 310I, 310J, 310J-1 and 36 more - Product type: Aircraft, Small Airplane - PDF: https://openairdocs.org/files/sha256/59/b4/59b48b89d688c93965979088dfe2c0a7c6efb3bf93f37b3d392fc4373fe1686b - FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/26283ABDD39A05D68625764700472260.0001 - DRS record last changed: October 6, 2009 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-10-01 ## Text FAA Aircraft Certification Service **SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS** INFORMATION BULLETIN SAIB: CE-10-01 SUBJ: Fuel: Fuel Tank Selector Valve Systems Date: October 5, 2009 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory. Introduction This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) is to inform you of an airworthiness concern on Cessna twin engine reciprocating engine powered airplanes. However, this issue may be applicable to other airplanes that use a detented fuel selector valve system. At this time, this airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant AD action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39. Background During the fourth flight of the day, a Cessna Model 402C experienced a total loss of engine power on both engines due to several missed opportunities to detect, investigate, and correct an apparent lack of detent positions in the fuel tank selector valve system. This lack of detectable detents led to failure of the fuel tank selector valve to move to the commanded position. This condition was not identified by the pilot in command during preflight and normal procedures or by maintenance personnel during maintenance inspections. The Cessna Pilots Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual consistently states to “Feel for Detent” throughout the preflight, normal, amplified, and emergency procedures sections of the POH/AFM. Additionally, the various service and maintenance manuals require operational checks, which include a “feel for the detents”, binding and smooth operation, inspections and checks for condition, security and servicing. The maintenance manual also clearly states a Caution which advises: “IF A DEFINITE DETENT IS NOT PRESENT IN EACH POSITION, THE SYSTEM IS IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED” The term “Service” is used consistently throughout the Cessna documentation to convey a multi-faceted approach to maintaining the airplane systems. Servicing may include the need to perform tasks such as inspection, cleaning, and lubrication at certain intervals as defined in the maintenance manual. Additionally, FAA Advisory Circular 43.13-1B, Chapter 8, Section 2, Paragraph 8-34 offers the following guidance with respect to fuel tank selector valves: “c. Selector Handles. Check the operation of each handle or control to see that it indicates the actual position of the selector valve to the placard location. Movement of the selector handle should be smooth and free of binding. Assure that stops and detents have positive action and smooth operational feel. Worn or missing detents and stops can cause unreliable positioning of the fuel selector valve.” Recommendations The FAA recommends that owners, operators, and maintenance personnel thoroughly review, understand, and adhere to the information published in the documentation identified above, which addresses the need to evaluate the performance and identify the service requirements to properly 2 maintain the fuel tank selector valve system. Failure to do so can have serious consequences as identified above. For Further Information Contact: Jeff Janusz, Aerospace Engineer, Propulsion, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office 1801 Airport Road – Room 100, Wichita, KS 67209; phone: 316-946-4148; fax: 316-946-4107; jeff.janusz@faa.gov ## Registered aircraft it may concern (OpenAirDocs) Registry models matched by make and model, the same way as ADs, most registered aircraft first. - [Cessna 340A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-340a): 543 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 421C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421c): 496 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 414A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-414a): 363 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310r): 361 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310Q](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310q): 277 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 414](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-414): 242 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 421B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421b): 225 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 441](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-441): 172 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 340](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-340): 164 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 425](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-425): 161 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 402C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402c): 115 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310): 103 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310k): 78 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310l): 62 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310p): 61 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310I](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310i): 60 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310J](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310j): 59 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310c): 58 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310D](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310d): 56 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310n): 55 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 402B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402b): 49 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310b): 45 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310f): 41 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310g): 41 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310h): 33 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 320D](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320d): 30 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 421](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421): 28 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 320E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320e): 27 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 335](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-335): 26 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 404](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-404): 26 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 320C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320c): 23 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 320B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320b): 21 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 401](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-401): 21 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 421A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421a): 20 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 320](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320): 17 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 401A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-401a): 15 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 401B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-401b): 15 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310a): 14 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 320F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320f): 12 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 402](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402): 7 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310e): 6 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 320A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320a): 6 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 411](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-411): 6 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 411A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-411a): 4 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 402A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402a): 3 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 320-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320-1): 1 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Cessna 310-J1](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310-j1): 0 registered aircraft (airframe model) --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.