Flight crew of a learjet, LR35, took off with the left fuel tank left open after refueling. Tower co...

Attributes
ACN	430884
Time
Date	199903
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hpn.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hpn.tower
Operator	common carrier : charter
Make Model Name	Learjet 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	430884
Person 2
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We got called for an on demand charter to leave hpn to go to sat. We were based in buf and by the time we got things together we arrived in hpn and our passenger were already there. I ordered our fuel load, picked up the catering, briefed our passenger, loaded the luggage, paid the bill, made the necessary phone calls, etc. On my way in to get some of the luggage, I personally checked the right fuel cap and thought to check the left cap but in order to save time I decided to check the left cap after loading the luggage. During all of this the copilot was getting the clearance and checking the route. After loading the luggage I proceeded to board the passenger and then shut the doors, missing the fact that I did not check the fuel cap. During the takeoff climb the tower informed us of fuel coming from the left wing. I looked out to see the fuel cap was dragging behind the fuel port and fuel escaping from the port. We informed the tower we were returning and made a left traffic pattern. During the final approach I thought about being over gross weight but elected to make a landing for various reasons. The landing was without incident and I put the fuel cap on and we taxied back for departure. My first slip up was I should have checked both caps at the same time and that the fuelers are human also. I need to slow down and take a couple of mins to make sure everything is taken care of and if possible designate the other pilot to some other duties first.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A LEARJET, LR35, TOOK OFF WITH THE L FUEL TANK LEFT OPEN AFTER REFUELING. TWR CTLR ALERTED CREW TO FUEL BEING VENTED OVERBOARD AND A RETURN TO LAND WAS MADE.

Narrative: WE GOT CALLED FOR AN ON DEMAND CHARTER TO LEAVE HPN TO GO TO SAT. WE WERE BASED IN BUF AND BY THE TIME WE GOT THINGS TOGETHER WE ARRIVED IN HPN AND OUR PAX WERE ALREADY THERE. I ORDERED OUR FUEL LOAD, PICKED UP THE CATERING, BRIEFED OUR PAX, LOADED THE LUGGAGE, PAID THE BILL, MADE THE NECESSARY PHONE CALLS, ETC. ON MY WAY IN TO GET SOME OF THE LUGGAGE, I PERSONALLY CHKED THE R FUEL CAP AND THOUGHT TO CHK THE L CAP BUT IN ORDER TO SAVE TIME I DECIDED TO CHK THE L CAP AFTER LOADING THE LUGGAGE. DURING ALL OF THIS THE COPLT WAS GETTING THE CLRNC AND CHKING THE RTE. AFTER LOADING THE LUGGAGE I PROCEEDED TO BOARD THE PAX AND THEN SHUT THE DOORS, MISSING THE FACT THAT I DID NOT CHK THE FUEL CAP. DURING THE TKOF CLB THE TWR INFORMED US OF FUEL COMING FROM THE L WING. I LOOKED OUT TO SEE THE FUEL CAP WAS DRAGGING BEHIND THE FUEL PORT AND FUEL ESCAPING FROM THE PORT. WE INFORMED THE TWR WE WERE RETURNING AND MADE A L TFC PATTERN. DURING THE FINAL APCH I THOUGHT ABOUT BEING OVER GROSS WT BUT ELECTED TO MAKE A LNDG FOR VARIOUS REASONS. THE LNDG WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT AND I PUT THE FUEL CAP ON AND WE TAXIED BACK FOR DEP. MY FIRST SLIP UP WAS I SHOULD HAVE CHKED BOTH CAPS AT THE SAME TIME AND THAT THE FUELERS ARE HUMAN ALSO. I NEED TO SLOW DOWN AND TAKE A COUPLE OF MINS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS TAKEN CARE OF AND IF POSSIBLE DESIGNATE THE OTHER PLT TO SOME OTHER DUTIES FIRST.

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.

Flight crew of a learjet, LR35, took off with the left fuel tank left open after refueling. Tower controller alerted crew to fuel being vented overboard and a return to land was made.