Return land mandated by fuel coming out of improperly secured gas cap on left wing of small aircraft...

Attributes
ACN	228265
Time
Date	199212
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pae
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pae
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	228265
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During takeoff gas cap came off my small aircraft. I noticed it when I made my first turn at about 500 ft. Called tower explained I had a wall of gas coming from tank neck, was worried about fire. Had an emergency and needed immediate landing. Request was granted. I circled and landed without incident. Problem arose -- interruption from normal preflight caused by snow and bad hangar doors. Problem was discovered when pilot looked left before executing first turn after takeoff. Main concern was fire -- continued downwind landed without flaps. (Limit switches under left flap -- did not want spark). When doing final walkaround do not let other event break normal pattern or concentration. 6 yrs with the same aircraft brings on complacency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RETURN LAND MANDATED BY FUEL COMING OUT OF IMPROPERLY SECURED GAS CAP ON L WING OF SMA.

Narrative: DURING TKOF GAS CAP CAME OFF MY SMA. I NOTICED IT WHEN I MADE MY FIRST TURN AT ABOUT 500 FT. CALLED TWR EXPLAINED I HAD A WALL OF GAS COMING FROM TANK NECK, WAS WORRIED ABOUT FIRE. HAD AN EMER AND NEEDED IMMEDIATE LNDG. REQUEST WAS GRANTED. I CIRCLED AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. PROBLEM AROSE -- INTERRUPTION FROM NORMAL PREFLT CAUSED BY SNOW AND BAD HANGAR DOORS. PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED WHEN PLT LOOKED L BEFORE EXECUTING FIRST TURN AFTER TKOF. MAIN CONCERN WAS FIRE -- CONTINUED DOWNWIND LANDED WITHOUT FLAPS. (LIMIT SWITCHES UNDER L FLAP -- DID NOT WANT SPARK). WHEN DOING FINAL WALKAROUND DO NOT LET OTHER EVENT BREAK NORMAL PATTERN OR CONCENTRATION. 6 YRS WITH THE SAME ACFT BRINGS ON COMPLACENCY.

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.