A C177 pilot becoming distraction while fueling his aircraft, neglected to replace the fuel cap, res...

Attributes
ACN	555975
Time
Date	200205
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	555975
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : pax 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was preflting my cessna cardinal for a 4.5 hour flight from the west coast to boise. During the refueling, I was interrupted by my passenger (wife) to assist her loading luggage. I completed refueling by collapsing the ladder and securing the fuel pumps. 1.5 hours into the flight, I was at 10000 ft over the cascades mountains when my wife noticed that the right fuel gauge was indicating 1/4 tank, and the left fuel gauge was indicating 1/2 tank. To my horror, I realized that I had not replaced the fuel cap after loading the baggage, and that I probably did not have enough fuel to land at the nearest community airport east of the cascades. I pushed the emergency GPS button for the nearest airport to learn that a 1400 ft grass air strip was under me in a narrow mountain pass. I immediately began a descent, however, I was unable to reach air radio due to the surrounding high terrain. The landing was bumpy, but uneventful. As I stepped out of the aircraft, I was soaked with fuel draining off the wing. To my relief, the fuel cap was still hanging from its chain. I measured the remaining fuel, replaced the fuel cap and continued my flight to the next community airport. Contributing factors: I allowed myself to be distraction from a critical preflight function (refueling) and I did not complete a final preflight check of the fuel caps. I did not monitor engine and fuel gauges during flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C177 PLT BECOMING DISTR WHILE FUELING HIS ACFT, NEGLECTED TO REPLACE THE FUEL CAP, RESULTING IN AN EMER LNDG AT THE NEAREST ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS PREFLTING MY CESSNA CARDINAL FOR A 4.5 HR FLT FROM THE WEST COAST TO BOISE. DURING THE REFUELING, I WAS INTERRUPTED BY MY PAX (WIFE) TO ASSIST HER LOADING LUGGAGE. I COMPLETED REFUELING BY COLLAPSING THE LADDER AND SECURING THE FUEL PUMPS. 1.5 HRS INTO THE FLT, I WAS AT 10000 FT OVER THE CASCADES MOUNTAINS WHEN MY WIFE NOTICED THAT THE R FUEL GAUGE WAS INDICATING 1/4 TANK, AND THE L FUEL GAUGE WAS INDICATING 1/2 TANK. TO MY HORROR, I REALIZED THAT I HAD NOT REPLACED THE FUEL CAP AFTER LOADING THE BAGGAGE, AND THAT I PROBABLY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO LAND AT THE NEAREST COMMUNITY ARPT E OF THE CASCADES. I PUSHED THE EMER GPS BUTTON FOR THE NEAREST ARPT TO LEARN THAT A 1400 FT GRASS AIR STRIP WAS UNDER ME IN A NARROW MOUNTAIN PASS. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A DSCNT, HOWEVER, I WAS UNABLE TO REACH AIR RADIO DUE TO THE SURROUNDING HIGH TERRAIN. THE LNDG WAS BUMPY, BUT UNEVENTFUL. AS I STEPPED OUT OF THE ACFT, I WAS SOAKED WITH FUEL DRAINING OFF THE WING. TO MY RELIEF, THE FUEL CAP WAS STILL HANGING FROM ITS CHAIN. I MEASURED THE REMAINING FUEL, REPLACED THE FUEL CAP AND CONTINUED MY FLT TO THE NEXT COMMUNITY ARPT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE DISTR FROM A CRITICAL PREFLT FUNCTION (REFUELING) AND I DID NOT COMPLETE A FINAL PREFLT CHK OF THE FUEL CAPS. I DID NOT MONITOR ENG AND FUEL GAUGES DURING FLT.

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.

A C177 pilot becoming distraction while fueling his aircraft, neglected to replace the fuel cap, resulting in an emergency landing at the nearest airport.