An MD80 was dispatched in non compliance with the APU oil cap not secured.

Attributes
ACN	575720
Time
Date	200302
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
ASRS Report	575720
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : lead technician
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : weather contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

After servicing APU oil, I can't recall whether or not the cap was put back onto the reservoir tightly. Contacted union/crew chief. Notified station which aircraft would 'overnight' to check/rectify possible problem. Also, station manager on duty was made aware of situation. I am adequately trained for this task. However, due to the outdoor elements (my hands being extremely cold), I can't be 100% sure that the cap clicked into its locking position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE APU OIL CAP NOT SECURED.

Narrative: AFTER SVCING APU OIL, I CAN'T RECALL WHETHER OR NOT THE CAP WAS PUT BACK ONTO THE RESERVOIR TIGHTLY. CONTACTED UNION/CREW CHIEF. NOTIFIED STATION WHICH ACFT WOULD 'OVERNIGHT' TO CHK/RECTIFY POSSIBLE PROB. ALSO, STATION MGR ON DUTY WAS MADE AWARE OF SIT. I AM ADEQUATELY TRAINED FOR THIS TASK. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE OUTDOOR ELEMENTS (MY HANDS BEING EXTREMELY COLD), I CAN'T BE 100% SURE THAT THE CAP CLICKED INTO ITS LOCKING POS.

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.