Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 250; Flight Crew Total 570; Flight Crew Type 21
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Aircraft; Human Factors
I was taking off carrying 5 passengers on a VFR flight [that] takes approximately 15 minutes. According to the flight manifest I had 33 gallons of fuel on board the aircraft; 14 gallons in the inboard main tanks and 19 in the tip tanks. It's company policy to utilize only the fuel in the tip tanks; switching back and forth upon the completion of each leg. I had my right tip tank selected before takeoff and it seemed to be in its proper detent. After rotation and climb to approximately 300 feet AGL my engine started surging violently. I immediately pitched down and landed safely on the remaining runway. I was able to taxi back to the ramp and upon investigation of the fuel tanks it became clear that the 10 gallons I had in my right tip had drained into the main tank. This is due to a common problem with the Cherokee Six 300 in which the fuel bypasses the selector and drains from the tips to the mains if the fuel selector is not secure in its detent. Due to our high number of operations per day; and the pressure to maintain a schedule I believed the fuel calculations on my manifest as well as the fuel gauge indication rather than taking the step to visually inspect the tank. The detent on the fuel selector was not where it appeared to be; I felt it lock in place; the selector arrow pointed directly at the placard labeled 'R TIP' but unfortunately it wasn't as secure as I had thought.
PA-32-300 pilot reported violent surging shortly after takeoff that resulted in landing on remaining runway. Reporter stated the wing tip fuel selector was slightly out of its detent; allowing fuel to drain to the main tank.