Tests of Crash-Resistant Fuel System for General Aviation Aircraft

Abstract

A significant percentage of general aviation aircraft accidents result in postcrash fires due to the ignition of fuel spillage, often contributing injury or death to the aircraft occupants. Testing was performed to demonstrate the performance of light-weight, flexible, crash-resistant fuel cells combined with the use of frangible fuel line couplings. Included in these tests were four full-scale crash tests of a typical light twin aircraft. In three tests, the crash-resistant fuel system performed satisfactorily. The fourth and final test, where the lightest weight tanks were used, resulted in tank failures and demonstrated a possible lower strength limit to the tank material.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1978
Accession Number
ADA063816

Entities

People

  • William M. Perrella Jr.

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircraft Industry
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Construction
  • Fixed Wing Aircraft
  • Fuel Cells
  • Fuel Lines
  • Fuel Systems
  • Fuel Tanks
  • General Aviation Aircraft
  • Helicopters
  • Impact Tests
  • Leading Edges
  • Materials
  • Nose Wheels
  • Spars

Readers

  • Aviation Safety Risk Assessment.
  • Explosive Engineering.
  • Petroleum Engineering

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology