Knowing what kind of fuel your aircraft takes is basic pilot knowledge. [Credit: Meg Godlewski]
Key Takeaways:
Fueling mishaps are common and often deadly, primarily caused by miscommunication between pilots and FBO staff regarding fuel type.
Pilots must proactively and explicitly state the required fuel type and quantity, and FBOs/technicians must verify this information through placards, verbal confirmation, or fuel forms.
Do not rely on visual inspection, fuel color/smell, or nozzle size as safeguards against misfueling, as errors can lead to a crash within seconds of takeoff; always ensure proper fuel cap installation.
Knowing what kind of fuel your aircraft takes is basic pilot knowledge. Knowing how to communicate that information to the FBO and/or line service technicians that refuel it should also be.
But according to Keith Clark, a Phillips 66 senior quality control and technical representative, correct aircraft fueling doesn’t always happen—and often with disastrous and deadly results.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![Knowing what kind of fuel your aircraft takes is basic pilot knowledge. [Credit: Meg Godlewski]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/self-fuel-scaled.jpeg)
