Fuel cap missing. Land account fuel use excessive.

Attributes
ACN	193072
Time
Date	199110
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gij
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau artcc : zoa
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	193072
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Rented this airplane from an FBO at milwaukee, wi. Fuel fill point was taped over because fuel cap was missing. Operator told me that this was alright because aircraft has an internal valve at fill point that is spring loaded in the closed position and would prevent any fuel from siphoning out. The aircraft had been flown many times in this confign by this experienced operator. Departed on a trip from mke to pkb. 45 mins out of mke, at level ft, noticed an abnormal amount of fuel consumption on fuel gauge. As a precaution, told chicago center that I would like to land at sbn because of a fuel loss problem. Landed safely at sbj with 1 hour of fuel left. Should have had at least 3 plus 45 remaining. Fire department was standing by and found no noticeable leaks, found tape was partially missing and internal valve stuck in a partially opened position. Fueled aircraft and determined fuel siphoning had occurred. I relied on operator's opinion because of his experience in this aircraft and qualifications (ATP/CFI). The internal valve should not be relied upon and other operators should be advised of this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL CAP MISSING. LAND ACCOUNT FUEL USE EXCESSIVE.

Narrative: RENTED THIS AIRPLANE FROM AN FBO AT MILWAUKEE, WI. FUEL FILL POINT WAS TAPED OVER BECAUSE FUEL CAP WAS MISSING. OPERATOR TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS ALRIGHT BECAUSE ACFT HAS AN INTERNAL VALVE AT FILL POINT THAT IS SPRING LOADED IN THE CLOSED POS AND WOULD PREVENT ANY FUEL FROM SIPHONING OUT. THE ACFT HAD BEEN FLOWN MANY TIMES IN THIS CONFIGN BY THIS EXPERIENCED OPERATOR. DEPARTED ON A TRIP FROM MKE TO PKB. 45 MINS OUT OF MKE, AT LEVEL FT, NOTICED AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF FUEL CONSUMPTION ON FUEL GAUGE. AS A PRECAUTION, TOLD CHICAGO CENTER THAT I WOULD LIKE TO LAND AT SBN BECAUSE OF A FUEL LOSS PROBLEM. LANDED SAFELY AT SBJ WITH 1 HR OF FUEL LEFT. SHOULD HAVE HAD AT LEAST 3 PLUS 45 REMAINING. FIRE DEPT WAS STANDING BY AND FOUND NO NOTICEABLE LEAKS, FOUND TAPE WAS PARTIALLY MISSING AND INTERNAL VALVE STUCK IN A PARTIALLY OPENED POS. FUELED ACFT AND DETERMINED FUEL SIPHONING HAD OCCURRED. I RELIED ON OPERATOR'S OPINION BECAUSE OF HIS EXPERIENCE IN THIS ACFT AND QUALIFICATIONS (ATP/CFI). THE INTERNAL VALVE SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AND OTHER OPERATORS SHOULD BE ADVISED OF THIS.

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.