Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia
ACN 004274588

Street Address:
Hangar 600 Prentice Street,
Bankstown Airport
NSW 2200
Postal Address: P0 Box 26,
George’s Hall
NSW 2198
Phone: (02) 9791 9099
Fax: (02) 9791 9366

              ! FUEL CONTAMINATION ALERT !

  A BROADCAST FAX FROM THE PRESIDENT OF AOPA AUSTRALIA

AN URGENT AND IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ALL AIRCRAFT OWNERS, 
OPERATORS AND PILOTS

AS OF 23 DECEMBER 1999 AOPA HAS BEEN ADVISED BY CASA 
THAT SUPPLIES OF AVGAS 100/130 SOLD IN VICTORIA, NSW 
AND QUEENSLAND MAY BE CONTAMINATED POSING A POTENTIALLY 
SERIOUS SAFETY THREAT TO PISTON-ENGINED AIRCRAFT.

AOPA IS ADVISED THAT THE FUEL IS AVGAS 100/130 WHICH 
COMES FROM THE MOBIL FACILITY AT ALTONA. SHELL 100/130 
AVGAS SUPPLIED TO NORTH QUEENSLAND FROM THE SHELL 
REFINERY AT GEELONG IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS WARNING OR 
THE CASA AD.

AOPA, BASI AND CASA ARE AWARE OF REPORTS OF ENGINE 
FAILURES, ROUGH RUNNING AND OTHER SYMPTOMS OF FUEL 
SYSTEM CONTAMINATION OR PROBLEMS THAT MAY BE 
ATTRIBUTABLE TO THIS FUEL. AOPA HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT 
THERE MAY EITHER BE BLOCKAGES OR DEPOSITS OR OTHER 
ACCRETIONS WHICH MAY AFFECT FUEL SYSTEMS. THERE ARE 
UNCONFIRMED REPORTS OF METAL FRAGMENTS WHICH MAY 
SUGGEST THAT SOME FORM OF CORROSIVE CHEMICAL ACTION MAY 
ALSO BE OCCURRING AND THUS MUST BE ALLOWED FOR.

CASA IS TODAY ISSUEING AN IMMEDIATE AIRWORTHINESS 
DIRECTIVE (AD/GEN/77) PROVIDING ADVICE AND GUIDANCE TO 
OWNERS, OPERATORS AND PILOTS ON THE FUEL CONTAMINATION 
PROBLEM. ON BEHALF OF CASA - AOPA IS DISTRIBUTING THIS 
IMMEDIATE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE.

AOPA WOULD ASK ALL POSSIBLY AFFECTED AIRCRAFT USERS TO 
TAKE ALL STEPS NECESSARY TO HAVE THEIR FUEL SYSTEMS
CHECKED OR OTHERWISE INSPECTED AND TO REMOVE ANY 
POSSIBLE CONTAMINATED AVGAS.

TO FURTHER ASSIST ALL OWNERS, OPERATORS OR USERS 
AFFECTED WE ASK THAT YOU FILL IN THE SHORT FORM BELOW
RECORDING DETAILS OF ANY INCIDENT, OCCURRENCE INVOLVING 
FUEL IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS. WE WOULD ALSO ASK THAT YOU
PROVIDE DETAILS OF ANY MAINTENANCE ACTION, COSTS OR 
OTHER DAMAGES THAT YOU BELIEVE HAVE RESULTED FROM YOUR
USE OF THIS FUEL. AOPA WILL KEEP AND COLLATE THIS 
INFORMATION WITH A VIEW TO A POSSIBLE CLASS ACTION ON 
BEHALF OF OWNERS, OPERATORS AND OTHERS IN THE FUTURE.

PLEASE NOTE THAT SHELL FUEL IS EXEMPT FROM THIS WARNING 
AND THE CASA AD

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
DATE OF INCIDENT/FUEL SYSTEM OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION: 

ACFT REGISTRATION 

PLACE OF INCIDENT/OCCURRENCE:

DETAILS OF ANY DAMAGE, MAINTENANCE ACTION OR OTHER 
ACTIONS AS A RESULT OF POSSIBLE FUEL CONTAMINATION:


YOUR NAME: ........................

ADDRESS: ..........................

CONTACT PHONE NUMBER .........................
E-MAIL ADDRESS: .............................


OVER CHRISTMAS PLEASE CONTACT:
PRESIDENT
CAPTAIN W J R HAMILTON ON 0414876526 OR 0408876526
AOPA GENERAL MANAGER
MIKE HART 0419446388
EDITOR AOPA MAGAZINE
MARK BARNETT 0407267203