Cap missing on single point fueling system.

Attributes
ACN	273565
Time
Date	199406
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fwa
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	273565
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

First officer reported right underwing single point fuel cap missing. Unable to locate cap in immediate area. Contacted maintenance control, who furnished and secured another cap. Aircraft had previously been preflted after refueling on previous flight, and fuel cap observed to be in place, aligned and secure. No less than 2 visual inspections by captain. Aircraft had also been pushed back, turned and lined up for taxi at gate in ord. With no less than 3 wing walkers and 2 ramp personnel in immediate vicinity of aircraft. No discrepancies or problems reported by any of these persons when queried regarding equipment missing or not appearing secured on aircraft. In later discussion with chief pilot and maintenance control, it was pointed out that this aircraft had identical problems earlier reported with same fuel cap. Flight into fort wayne prior to discovery of missing cap, and after cap last seen in place was normal. No unusual indications or occurrences. Note: later flight that evening on same aircraft during postflt inspection showed cap had worked loose and rotated itself, ready to fall off at sharp jolt. This was after maintenance personnel inspected and ok'ed cap for flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAP MISSING ON SINGLE POINT FUELING SYS.

Narrative: FO RPTED R UNDERWING SINGLE POINT FUEL CAP MISSING. UNABLE TO LOCATE CAP IN IMMEDIATE AREA. CONTACTED MAINT CTL, WHO FURNISHED AND SECURED ANOTHER CAP. ACFT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN PREFLTED AFTER REFUELING ON PREVIOUS FLT, AND FUEL CAP OBSERVED TO BE IN PLACE, ALIGNED AND SECURE. NO LESS THAN 2 VISUAL INSPECTIONS BY CAPT. ACFT HAD ALSO BEEN PUSHED BACK, TURNED AND LINED UP FOR TAXI AT GATE IN ORD. WITH NO LESS THAN 3 WING WALKERS AND 2 RAMP PERSONNEL IN IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF ACFT. NO DISCREPANCIES OR PROBS RPTED BY ANY OF THESE PERSONS WHEN QUERIED REGARDING EQUIP MISSING OR NOT APPEARING SECURED ON ACFT. IN LATER DISCUSSION WITH CHIEF PLT AND MAINT CTL, IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT THIS ACFT HAD IDENTICAL PROBS EARLIER RPTED WITH SAME FUEL CAP. FLT INTO FORT WAYNE PRIOR TO DISCOVERY OF MISSING CAP, AND AFTER CAP LAST SEEN IN PLACE WAS NORMAL. NO UNUSUAL INDICATIONS OR OCCURRENCES. NOTE: LATER FLT THAT EVENING ON SAME ACFT DURING POSTFLT INSPECTION SHOWED CAP HAD WORKED LOOSE AND ROTATED ITSELF, READY TO FALL OFF AT SHARP JOLT. THIS WAS AFTER MAINT PERSONNEL INSPECTED AND OK'ED CAP FOR FLT.

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.