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A C172 pilot adds oil to the aircraft but fails to secure the oil cap resulting in oil escaping down the side of the aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 619678 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200405 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : akr.airport |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : dsm.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 619678 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I was preflting an aircraft in preparation for giving airplane rides for a friend's graduation party. Upon checking the oil, I noticed the oil was a quart low, so I got a bottle and added it. The aircraft was an older C172, with a separate dipstick and filler cap. After adding the oil, I checked to see that the dipstick was secure, but missed properly securing the filler cap. Another pilot took my place for the first flight, and also missed the cap. When he came back after the planned 10-min flight, there was a large brownish streak on the side and belly of the aircraft. It was then that the loose cap was discovered, and I realized my error. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and all that was left were some bitter recriminations from my friend and the other pilot, who also felt upset for missing the cap himself, plus cleaning off a dirty aircraft. From this, I have learned to pay closer attention to my preflts, with special emphasis on checking not only the security of the oil dipstick, but also the filler cap, whether or not I add any oil.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C172 PLT ADDS OIL TO THE ACFT BUT FAILS TO SECURE THE OIL CAP RESULTING IN OIL ESCAPING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE ACFT.
Narrative: I WAS PREFLTING AN ACFT IN PREPARATION FOR GIVING AIRPLANE RIDES FOR A FRIEND'S GRADUATION PARTY. UPON CHKING THE OIL, I NOTICED THE OIL WAS A QUART LOW, SO I GOT A BOTTLE AND ADDED IT. THE ACFT WAS AN OLDER C172, WITH A SEPARATE DIPSTICK AND FILLER CAP. AFTER ADDING THE OIL, I CHKED TO SEE THAT THE DIPSTICK WAS SECURE, BUT MISSED PROPERLY SECURING THE FILLER CAP. ANOTHER PLT TOOK MY PLACE FOR THE FIRST FLT, AND ALSO MISSED THE CAP. WHEN HE CAME BACK AFTER THE PLANNED 10-MIN FLT, THERE WAS A LARGE BROWNISH STREAK ON THE SIDE AND BELLY OF THE ACFT. IT WAS THEN THAT THE LOOSE CAP WAS DISCOVERED, AND I REALIZED MY ERROR. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT, AND ALL THAT WAS LEFT WERE SOME BITTER RECRIMINATIONS FROM MY FRIEND AND THE OTHER PLT, WHO ALSO FELT UPSET FOR MISSING THE CAP HIMSELF, PLUS CLEANING OFF A DIRTY ACFT. FROM THIS, I HAVE LEARNED TO PAY CLOSER ATTN TO MY PREFLTS, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON CHKING NOT ONLY THE SECURITY OF THE OIL DIPSTICK, BUT ALSO THE FILLER CAP, WHETHER OR NOT I ADD ANY OIL.
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.