C180 pilot left the oil cap off the engine after he changed the oil.

Attributes
ACN	586721
Time
Date	200307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ffz.airport
State Reference	AZ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ffz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 180 Skywagon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	586721
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : detected after the fact other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I changed the oil a week prior to the flight, but hadn't flown yet. Did a preflight inspection, taxied out, and took off. Immediately after breaking ground, oil started covering the windshield. I immediately turned downwind and returned for landing. In the postflt check, I found the oil cap had been inadvertently left off. The oil cap is in a hard to see area on this aircraft. My new procedure will be to run the engine for a leak check after every oil change, prior to recowling, and to do a more thorough check on preflight inspection by opening the oil access door on top as well as the cowling access doors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C180 PLT LEFT THE OIL CAP OFF THE ENG AFTER HE CHANGED THE OIL.

Narrative: I CHANGED THE OIL A WK PRIOR TO THE FLT, BUT HADN'T FLOWN YET. DID A PREFLT INSPECTION, TAXIED OUT, AND TOOK OFF. IMMEDIATELY AFTER BREAKING GND, OIL STARTED COVERING THE WINDSHIELD. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED DOWNWIND AND RETURNED FOR LNDG. IN THE POSTFLT CHK, I FOUND THE OIL CAP HAD BEEN INADVERTENTLY LEFT OFF. THE OIL CAP IS IN A HARD TO SEE AREA ON THIS ACFT. MY NEW PROC WILL BE TO RUN THE ENG FOR A LEAK CHK AFTER EVERY OIL CHANGE, PRIOR TO RECOWLING, AND TO DO A MORE THOROUGH CHK ON PREFLT INSPECTION BY OPENING THE OIL ACCESS DOOR ON TOP AS WELL AS THE COWLING ACCESS DOORS.

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.