GA small aircraft discovered fuel leaking for filler cap after takeoff. Return land on wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	109794
Time
Date	198904
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : maf
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : maf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	approach : circling approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	109794
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed midland international airport on 16R in an small aircraft, destination amarillo, tx. After turning northbound and in contact with midland departure, I noticed fuel coming out of left main fuel cap. I then told departure control I needed to come back and land. At that point I turned back to the southwest toward the airport at the same time starting a descent. I was asked by midland departure if any assistance was necessary, to which I responded, 'negative.' fuel was still coming out of left fuel cap as I changed frequency to midland tower. Upon contacting tower, I was cleared to land on what I thought was 16R. It was apparent that I was going to be extremely high, so I asked and received permission to do a left 360 degree turn while continuing to descend. After completing the turn I lined up for final on 16R and landed. As I turned off onto a taxiway, the tower stated that I had been cleared to land on parallel runway 16L. I responded that I did not understand it that way. Tower reconfirmed runway 16L, but it was not problem this time. Next time and any further times I am cleared to land, I will repeat the runway # back to tower to alleviate this type of communication misunderstanding.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA DISCOVERED FUEL LEAKING FOR FILLER CAP AFTER TKOF. RETURN LAND ON WRONG RWY.

Narrative: DEPARTED MIDLAND INTL ARPT ON 16R IN AN SMA, DEST AMARILLO, TX. AFTER TURNING NBOUND AND IN CONTACT WITH MIDLAND DEP, I NOTICED FUEL COMING OUT OF LEFT MAIN FUEL CAP. I THEN TOLD DEP CTL I NEEDED TO COME BACK AND LAND. AT THAT POINT I TURNED BACK TO THE SW TOWARD THE ARPT AT THE SAME TIME STARTING A DSCNT. I WAS ASKED BY MIDLAND DEP IF ANY ASSISTANCE WAS NECESSARY, TO WHICH I RESPONDED, 'NEGATIVE.' FUEL WAS STILL COMING OUT OF LEFT FUEL CAP AS I CHANGED FREQ TO MIDLAND TWR. UPON CONTACTING TWR, I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 16R. IT WAS APPARENT THAT I WAS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY HIGH, SO I ASKED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO DO A LEFT 360 DEG TURN WHILE CONTINUING TO DSND. AFTER COMPLETING THE TURN I LINED UP FOR FINAL ON 16R AND LANDED. AS I TURNED OFF ONTO A TXWY, THE TWR STATED THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND ON PARALLEL RWY 16L. I RESPONDED THAT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT THAT WAY. TWR RECONFIRMED RWY 16L, BUT IT WAS NOT PROB THIS TIME. NEXT TIME AND ANY FURTHER TIMES I AM CLRED TO LAND, I WILL REPEAT THE RWY # BACK TO TWR TO ALLEVIATE THIS TYPE OF COM MISUNDERSTANDING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.