Air carrier light transport returns to land after 1 fuel cap comes off the fuel opening in #2 tank.

Attributes
ACN	167102
Time
Date	199101
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : grr
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Route In Use	enroute airway : grr
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4400 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	167102
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon boarding the flight, I observed that the right fuel cap appeared secure. We deiced the aircraft, started the engines and taxied out for runway 26L at grr. We ran the checklist and verified we had a fuel cap on the right side. We were taxiing behind an medium large transport that was blowing quite a bit of snow back behind it. Everything appeared normal and we were cleared for takeoff. After takeoff climbing through 3500' on our way to 5000', I noticed the right fuel cap loose and hanging back on the wing. We returned to grr for a landing. We reinstalled the cap and I checked it too make sure. We then departed and had a normal flight to ind. The only conclusion we can come up with is that the fueler must not have gotten the cap back in properly. The only way I see to prevent this is to visually inspect the cap out at the wing immediately after refueling.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT RETURNS TO LAND AFTER 1 FUEL CAP COMES OFF THE FUEL OPENING IN #2 TANK.

Narrative: UPON BOARDING THE FLT, I OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL CAP APPEARED SECURE. WE DEICED THE ACFT, STARTED THE ENGS AND TAXIED OUT FOR RWY 26L AT GRR. WE RAN THE CHKLIST AND VERIFIED WE HAD A FUEL CAP ON THE RIGHT SIDE. WE WERE TAXIING BEHIND AN MLG THAT WAS BLOWING QUITE A BIT OF SNOW BACK BEHIND IT. EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL AND WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. AFTER TKOF CLBING THROUGH 3500' ON OUR WAY TO 5000', I NOTICED THE RIGHT FUEL CAP LOOSE AND HANGING BACK ON THE WING. WE RETURNED TO GRR FOR A LNDG. WE REINSTALLED THE CAP AND I CHKED IT TOO MAKE SURE. WE THEN DEPARTED AND HAD A NORMAL FLT TO IND. THE ONLY CONCLUSION WE CAN COME UP WITH IS THAT THE FUELER MUST NOT HAVE GOTTEN THE CAP BACK IN PROPERLY. THE ONLY WAY I SEE TO PREVENT THIS IS TO VISUALLY INSPECT THE CAP OUT AT THE WING IMMEDIATELY AFTER REFUELING.

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.