Narrative:

Departing lansing airport the fueler was late to the aircraft. Gate personnel asked if they could board the aircraft. Permission to board the aircraft was given and fueler was recalled to fuel the aircraft. (Fueler arrived shortly thereafter.) as passenger started boarding, the fueler completed fueling the aircraft. At this time the flight attendant was asked to verify that the fuel panel door was closed (by looking out the window, a common practice). The boarding process was completed and we started the right engine (fuel panel is on aft part of right engine nacelle). At this time I asked the first officer if the flight attendant had verified the door was closed, he replied, 'she had not returned with an answer.' we waited for the flight attendant to finish her PA announcement and once again asked her to verify that the door was closed. She walked back to about row 7 and looked out the window (we watched her). She returned to the cockpit and told us that it was secure. Performing my post-flight inspection at dtw I noticed that the fuel panel door was open. Further inspection revealed that the single point dust captain was missing and that the portion just aft of the door was damaged. I presume the fuel cap fell off in flight, after causing the damage. (Fuel cap is attached to fuel panel with a small chain.) our first mistake occurred when we asked the flight attendant to perform this task. She might have seen it open if we had not asked her until she was done boarding and prior to starting the engine. I assume the propeller in feather may have created enough of a breeze to hold the door closed. Our preflight procedure requires a crew member to verify that the door is closed and does not specify a flight crew member. A change in this wording may make things clrer for others. My new procedure will require after fueling is completed that the first officer check that the door is closed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUELER DOOR PANEL IN WING LEFT OPEN CAUSING MINOR WING SKIN DAMAGE WHEN THE 'DUST CAP' CAME OFF ACFT. RAMP OP ACFT REFUELING PROC.

Narrative: DEPARTING LANSING ARPT THE FUELER WAS LATE TO THE ACFT. GATE PERSONNEL ASKED IF THEY COULD BOARD THE ACFT. PERMISSION TO BOARD THE ACFT WAS GIVEN AND FUELER WAS RECALLED TO FUEL THE ACFT. (FUELER ARRIVED SHORTLY THEREAFTER.) AS PAX STARTED BOARDING, THE FUELER COMPLETED FUELING THE ACFT. AT THIS TIME THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS ASKED TO VERIFY THAT THE FUEL PANEL DOOR WAS CLOSED (BY LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW, A COMMON PRACTICE). THE BOARDING PROCESS WAS COMPLETED AND WE STARTED THE R ENG (FUEL PANEL IS ON AFT PART OF R ENG NACELLE). AT THIS TIME I ASKED THE FO IF THE FLT ATTENDANT HAD VERIFIED THE DOOR WAS CLOSED, HE REPLIED, 'SHE HAD NOT RETURNED WITH AN ANSWER.' WE WAITED FOR THE FLT ATTENDANT TO FINISH HER PA ANNOUNCEMENT AND ONCE AGAIN ASKED HER TO VERIFY THAT THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. SHE WALKED BACK TO ABOUT ROW 7 AND LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW (WE WATCHED HER). SHE RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT AND TOLD US THAT IT WAS SECURE. PERFORMING MY POST-FLT INSPECTION AT DTW I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL PANEL DOOR WAS OPEN. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE SINGLE POINT DUST CAPT WAS MISSING AND THAT THE PORTION JUST AFT OF THE DOOR WAS DAMAGED. I PRESUME THE FUEL CAP FELL OFF IN FLT, AFTER CAUSING THE DAMAGE. (FUEL CAP IS ATTACHED TO FUEL PANEL WITH A SMALL CHAIN.) OUR FIRST MISTAKE OCCURRED WHEN WE ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO PERFORM THIS TASK. SHE MIGHT HAVE SEEN IT OPEN IF WE HAD NOT ASKED HER UNTIL SHE WAS DONE BOARDING AND PRIOR TO STARTING THE ENG. I ASSUME THE PROP IN FEATHER MAY HAVE CREATED ENOUGH OF A BREEZE TO HOLD THE DOOR CLOSED. OUR PREFLT PROC REQUIRES A CREW MEMBER TO VERIFY THAT THE DOOR IS CLOSED AND DOES NOT SPECIFY A FLT CREW MEMBER. A CHANGE IN THIS WORDING MAY MAKE THINGS CLRER FOR OTHERS. MY NEW PROC WILL REQUIRE AFTER FUELING IS COMPLETED THAT THE FO CHK THAT THE DOOR IS CLOSED.

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.