In an attempt to further clarify and correct misinformation, City of Hanford officials are providing the following facts and answers about the Hanford Municipal Airport’s three-day fuel station closure in January.

For background, the City of Hanford owns and operates Hanford Municipal Airport (HJO), a general aviation facility located near the intersection of Hanford Armona Road and Foggy Bottom Road. The airport serves more than 70 tenant customers and has a 24-hour self-service fueling station providing 100LL (low lead) fuel, also known as aviation gasoline or avgas. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), “this grade of avgas satisfies the requirements of all piston engines using avgas, regardless of their performance level.” The fueling station is inspected on a daily, monthly and annual basis to ensure compliance with local, state and federal laws. While the current station has been operating in compliance, it’s worth mentioning that it will be replaced with a new fuel island by the end of 2025.

Bob Loogman has been the Hanford Airport Manager since July 0f 2019. Loogman has been a pilot for 44 years and has 30 years of aviation maintenance experience. He has the following FAA certificates: Private Pilot license, A&P license (Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic), IA license (Inspector Authorization), DME (Designated Mechanical Examiner, retired), and Repairmen license.

FACT: The City of Hanford took all necessary and required steps following the discovery of the fuel issue and corrected the issue as quickly as possible

In early January, Airport Manager Bob Loogman was notified by the owner of IA Aviation, an aircraft maintenance company and Hanford Airport tenant, about possible particulates in the fuel from the fueling station. Loogman took a fuel sample but did not detect any particulates. Loogman had already contacted the City’s fuel station technicians, and they determined nothing was amiss. Out of an abundance of caution, Loogman called a dedicated aviation fuels technician, US Fueling Solutions, for a second opinion. Loogman then notified City Manager Mario Cifuentez that he planned to use US Fueling Solutions as a second source. During a service call on Tuesday, January 14, Loogman and the US Fueling technician found a small amount of particulate matter in the fuel and identified the source. The part failure was past the filters in the hose reel. The hose was rerouted to eliminate this failure.

On the same day, January 14, Loogman issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) stating that 100LL fuel was not available at the Hanford Airport. The NOTAM was cancelled on January 17 when the fuel station repairs were completed. In addition to the NOTAM, Loogman sent courtesy email notifications to his airport contacts on January 14, notifying them of the fuel station closure and repairs, and on January 17, notifying them of the completed repairs and fuel being available again.

Loogman and Cifuentez have been in contact with FAA’s Fresno Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) over the last several weeks, and their representatives have clearly expressed that although there are no FAA regulations requiring notification about an issue of this nature, they are supportive of the City’s efforts to identify any airplanes that were fueled at the station and suggested using the timeframe of two months prior to discovery of the particulate matter.

FACT: City of Hanford fuel is NOT contaminated

Fuel sold at the airport met or exceeded the quality required by the FAA. Particulate matter is found in all fuel systems to varying degrees. Understanding this, engine and airframe manufacturers design the systems with numerous filters to accommodate the it and make it inert. However, these systems are to be serviced regularly by qualified mechanics during the aircraft annual inspection or 100-hour inspection.

In this instance, a small amount of particulate matter was discovered in the filters of several airplanes that purchased fuel at the airport. The particulates did not dissolve in the fuel, and the specific gravity of the fuel did not change. Therefore, the fuel was not contaminated.

Unfortunately, a select few individuals have claimed the fuel is contaminated and have been making exaggerated statements and spreading false information throughout the local aviation community. In response to this misinformation, the City sent letters via USPS Certified Mail to approximately 35 registered aircraft owners whose planes were fueled at the fueling station during a two-month period (mid-November through Mid-January), stating in part:

To ensure that Airport patrons have confidence in the services and fuel we provide, we are asking any pilots who purchased fuel at the Airport in December 2024 and/or the first half of January 2025, let us know. It is our intention to assist in having your filters serviced so that there is no lingering concern that a minute amount of particulate matter could affect other systems within your aircraft.

QUESTION: Why did it take so long to send these letters?

To reiterate, there was no requirement to notify airport customers or fuel purchasers about the underlying reason for the fuel station closure. There was no need to cause unnecessary fear or panic as the fuel was never contaminated and there was no safety concern. As stated previously, Loogman fulfilled his notification obligations by issuing a NOTAM on January 14 about the fuel station closure, which was cancelled on January 17 when the fuel station repairs were completed. In addition to the NOTAM, Loogman sent courtesy email notifications to his airport contacts on January 14, notifying them of the fuel station closure, and on January 17, notifying them of the completed repairs and availability of fuel again.

QUESTION: How did you determine who should receive a letter?

In early March, City officials recognized the need to dispel rumors and speculation about the fuel station closure and underlying particulate matter issue and began good-faith efforts to identify anyone who may have purchased fuel from Mid-November through Mid-January. On Friday, March 7, the City obtained a custom list of fuel transactions from its aviation fuel system (FuelMaster). The list did not contain credit card numbers but did list tail numbers for some of the purchases. Note: Fuel purchasers are not required to input a tail number at the time of a transaction and sometimes purchasers input invalid tail numbers (i.e. the number zero). Loogman, using both his tenant list and an FAA database, was able to track down names and addresses for approximately 35 registered aircraft owners whose planes were fueled at the fueling station from mid-November through Mid-January. Letters were sent to these individuals via USPS Certified Mail the week of March 10. It is worth noting that even before the letters were sent, Loogman had many conversations with airport customers about the fuel issue, the vast majority of whom were satisfied with the steps taken to address it and unaware of or unbothered by the misinformation being spread. Note: Some of the fueled planes were not “based aircraft” at Hanford. Many pilots stop at HJO to refuel while enroute to another destination. 

QUESTION: I’ve heard rumors of a plane having engine issues because of this fuel issue. What’s going on? 

The City is aware of one airplane that has reportedly experienced two incidents with symptoms of a fuel system issue. This aircraft is by far the highest consumer of fuel at the airport. All of the plane’s symptoms did not point towards a fuel particulate matter issue. The most likely possibility is this high-time airframe has more than one problem going on with it. One of these reported incidents happened a full month after the fuel station had been brought back into operation with no particulate issues. 

QUESTION: How did the particulate matter end up in the fuel?

The particulate matter was caused by an issue with an unseen aluminum bearing race inside of the hose reel. While it has not been completely confirmed, Loogman believes improper hose reel recoiling by inexperienced pilots may have led to multiple instances of the hose being jammed into the reel. When this happened, the fuel station would shut down because the hose could not extend to reach the airplane. This could strand aircraft at HJO with no other source of fuel to continue flights. Efforts to fix the jam and bring the fuel station back online may have unknowingly caused damage to this race, possibly leading to a minute amount of particulate matter entering the fuel. 

QUESTION: I didn’t receive a letter, but I think I may have bought fuel during the timeframe of mid-November through mid-January. What should I do? 

Please contact Airport Manager Bob Loogman to help verify your purchase and then assist in having your filters serviced so that there are no lingering concerns about a small amount of particulate matter that may have been in the fuel you may have purchased.