Fuel tank cap lost in-flight.

Attributes
ACN	300742
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pao airport : sql
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sql
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 5784
ASRS Report	300742
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft king air C-90 left san carlos airport approximately XA30 pm on apr/xx/95 for a trip to monterey, ca. Prior to takeoff, a preflight inspection was performed. The copilot, who also was ATP certified and a former airline pilot, handled the preflight inspection. Approximately 10-15 mins after takeoff, south of redwood city, it was noticed that the fuel cap on the right nacelle fuel tank was missing. Immediately upon observance of the missing fuel tank cap, a 180 degree turn was made to return to san carlos airport. Approximately 4 or 5 mi southwest of stanford university the left nacelle fuel cap came loose and left the aircraft. A few mins later an uneventful landing was made at san carlos airport. The event occurred due to probably carelessness of the fuel svcman in not properly securing and checking the fuel cap. Secondly, the security of the fuel cap was probably not double-checked on the preflight inspection. The most important lesson is that the PIC must check and rechk not only the fuel caps, but all necessary preflight items.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL TANK CAP LOST INFLT.

Narrative: ACFT KING AIR C-90 LEFT SAN CARLOS ARPT APPROX XA30 PM ON APR/XX/95 FOR A TRIP TO MONTEREY, CA. PRIOR TO TKOF, A PREFLT INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED. THE COPLT, WHO ALSO WAS ATP CERTIFIED AND A FORMER AIRLINE PLT, HANDLED THE PREFLT INSPECTION. APPROX 10-15 MINS AFTER TKOF, S OF REDWOOD CITY, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE FUEL CAP ON THE R NACELLE FUEL TANK WAS MISSING. IMMEDIATELY UPON OBSERVANCE OF THE MISSING FUEL TANK CAP, A 180 DEG TURN WAS MADE TO RETURN TO SAN CARLOS ARPT. APPROX 4 OR 5 MI SW OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY THE L NACELLE FUEL CAP CAME LOOSE AND LEFT THE ACFT. A FEW MINS LATER AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE AT SAN CARLOS ARPT. THE EVENT OCCURRED DUE TO PROBABLY CARELESSNESS OF THE FUEL SVCMAN IN NOT PROPERLY SECURING AND CHKING THE FUEL CAP. SECONDLY, THE SECURITY OF THE FUEL CAP WAS PROBABLY NOT DOUBLE-CHKED ON THE PREFLT INSPECTION. THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON IS THAT THE PIC MUST CHK AND RECHK NOT ONLY THE FUEL CAPS, BUT ALL NECESSARY PREFLT ITEMS.

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.