[Orv Neisingh]

I was instructing Jim T. in Ohio many years ago in his new 162f. We had completed his hover training and were beginning his altitude training. For this particular flight we filled the fuel tanks and then flew to altitude. At about 500' AGL we were suddenly engulfed in fuel vapor and splattering liquid gasoline. Normally an autorotation in an emergency seems to take only a few seconds to reach the ground, not this time. We were both drenched in fuel mist and breathing fuel vapor and I just knew that the hot exhaust was going to ignite us in a mid air fire ball. I immediately entered an auto and that 20 seconds seemed like hours as we headed to the ground, landed and both Jim and I bolted from the helicopter expecting it to explode at any moment. We could see fuel pouring off the bottom of the tub as we kept a safe distance. The engine soon ran out of fuel and died, I did not risk turning off switches in that fuel soaked environment so we just got out and ran. 

Once the fuel stopped leaking we inspected the fuel system and found that the pilot side fuel tank fitting had completely fallen out of the fuel tank and was laying against the frame member below the fuel tank. As we looked at the fuel tank outlet fitting we marveled that Rotorway did not have a positive mechanical stop on the inside of the fuel tank to prevent the fuel outlet fitting from falling out. The fitting was depending on the friction of the fuel seal only to keep the fitting in the tank outlet hole. Below you can read the post that I made years ago detailing how we came up with a fix for this dangerous design error. It took the Rotorway factory over 10 years to adopt this modification of installing a washer on the inside of the fuel tank to secure the outlet fitting in place preventing it from falling out. If you have a 162F you should check to insure that this modification has been done or you may experience the same issue that we did at some point. 

To install Orv's fuel tank outlet fitting mod, you will first need to drain all of the fuel out of your fuel tanks in a well ventilated area away from any flame, gas vapors hug the ground so be careful. You do this by removing enough screws on the side of the tub to allow the rear side of the tub to be pulled away from the fuel tank to allow you to get your wrenches on the fuel tank fitting and nut.\
Disconnect the fuel line from the fuel tank fitting. Remove the fittng nut and washer. Pull the fuel tank outlet fitting out of the bottom of the fuel tank. Inspect the rubber grommet to insure that it is in good condition. If not order a new set from the Robin or Kris.

Once you have the fitting removed, drill a 3/16" (or close to that) hole in the top of the aluminum fitting as seen in the photo below.

Next take a 10' piece of string and tie a nut to the end for a weight. The nut on the string is then dropped into the top of the tank and jiggled until it comes out the outlet hole in the bottom of the tank.

The photo below shows the string with the nut weight coming out the bottom of the fuel tank. The Tootsie Pop is optional. You will notice a lot of rust and chipped paint on this ship. This is what happens when a frame is not primed before painting and when the ship is parked outside in the rain. It took me a week to get this ship airworthy before we could begin the builders flight training.

Tie the nut end of the string around the landing gear step to prevent it from accidentally being pulled back into the fuel tank.

You will need to purchase or make a washer that will fit over the fuel tank fitting threads and bevel but not pass the small shelf at the upper portion of the bevel. This washer is what keeps the fitting from being able to exit the bottom of the fuel tank. You can usually find a washer that is close in size and then file or dremmel out the ID to fit the fitting. You don't want the washer to contact the bevel to the point that it does not fit snugly up against the flat shelf above the bevel.
The OD of the washer should be at least 1/4" larger than the OD of the outlet fitting top. If the washer OD is too large, it may not fit the space at the bottom of the tank.
Place the washer and fitting onto the string as shown below.


Next you will drop the washer into the fuel tank (with the beveled side facing up to mate with the fuel fitting bevel) and allow it to slide down the string to the bottom of the fuel tank. You can reach your finger up into the tank outlet and insure that the washer has room to fit flat against the bottom of the inside of the tank. Too large of a washer OD may not fit.

You do the same for the fuel outlet fitting.

In the photo below the fuel tank fitting end has been slid down the string, through the washer, and out of the bottom of the fuel tank.

Now you should tie off the upper end of the string to prevent it from falling into the fuel tank as you are working on the bottom end. The string will keep the fitting and washer captive until you have them secured in place.
Slide the rubber grommet up the string and into place around the fuel fitting threads and inside of the tank hole. You will need to hold onto the outlet fitting threads to keep the fitting from going back into the tank. The grommet will hit the new washer inside of the tank.

Next slide the bottom washer and nut up the string and into place on the threads of the fuel tank outlet fitting. Tighten the nut and then reattach the fuel lines on each tank when you are finished installing the fittings.
Your fuel tank outlet fittings will not be able to fall out of the fuel tanks now while you are flying so you now have a much safer helicopter.