Small transport helicopter departs with fuel cap missing, siphons fuel rapidly, return land.

Attributes
ACN	141188
Time
Date	199004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sjc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	141188
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

During climbout a slight odor of jet a fuel was noticed. The smell of fuel became more pronounced on downwind at higher airspeed. Departure was aborted and a short approach was made back to the airport. On landing it was discovered that the fuel cap for the optional fuel extender had not been replaced after fueling. The cap was replaced and the flight continued without further incident. However, the threat of fire at the time was extreme as during a 6 min flight approximately 20 gals of fuel were siphoned overboard soaking the entire fuselage. These optional fuel extenders come with a safety chain on the cap. However, this one was disconnected. As a result, after fueling was complete, the cap was not handy and got forgotten. (I know because I fueled the aircraft.) also during my final check before start, I've gotten so used to checking doors (seat belts), latches and panels that I didn't pay close enough attention to the fuel cap.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT HELICOPTER DEPARTS WITH FUEL CAP MISSING, SIPHONS FUEL RAPIDLY, RETURN LAND.

Narrative: DURING CLIMBOUT A SLIGHT ODOR OF JET A FUEL WAS NOTICED. THE SMELL OF FUEL BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED ON DOWNWIND AT HIGHER AIRSPEED. DEP WAS ABORTED AND A SHORT APCH WAS MADE BACK TO THE ARPT. ON LNDG IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL CAP FOR THE OPTIONAL FUEL EXTENDER HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED AFTER FUELING. THE CAP WAS REPLACED AND THE FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. HOWEVER, THE THREAT OF FIRE AT THE TIME WAS EXTREME AS DURING A 6 MIN FLT APPROX 20 GALS OF FUEL WERE SIPHONED OVERBOARD SOAKING THE ENTIRE FUSELAGE. THESE OPTIONAL FUEL EXTENDERS COME WITH A SAFETY CHAIN ON THE CAP. HOWEVER, THIS ONE WAS DISCONNECTED. AS A RESULT, AFTER FUELING WAS COMPLETE, THE CAP WAS NOT HANDY AND GOT FORGOTTEN. (I KNOW BECAUSE I FUELED THE ACFT.) ALSO DURING MY FINAL CHECK BEFORE START, I'VE GOTTEN SO USED TO CHECKING DOORS (SEAT BELTS), LATCHES AND PANELS THAT I DIDN'T PAY CLOSE ENOUGH ATTN TO THE FUEL CAP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.