<< >> NASA ASRS Report 778591, March 2008

Fuel streaming out of open gas cap is misidentified by ATCT local controller as smoke. C206 pilot make immediate return and landing.

Attributes
ACN	778591
Time
Date	200803
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bli.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bli.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 6
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1250 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	778591
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Immediately after takeoff; tower reported smoke coming off of the back of the airplane. I requested a 180 degree to landing runway 34 and was cleared to land. Upon rollout tower informed me that the right fuel cap was hanging from its chain. The 'smoke' was believed to be the fuel being vacuumed from the open right tank. After checking the fuel level I must have incorrectly fastened the cap. The best practice to prevent the situation from reoccurring is to physically check that the fuel caps are correctly secured.

Related reports:

• Departure controller misidentified a VFR aircraft and turned...
• On vectored approach to ord, flight crew sighted traffic poi...
• Similar a/north. Tower controller misidentified flight.
• A D01 TRACON controller misidentified aircraft with similar ...
• Mdw local controller described a runway conflict when an air...
• A center controller reported he misidentified an aircraft wh...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL STREAMING OUT OF OPEN GAS CAP IS MISIDENTIFIED BY ATCT LCL CTLR AS SMOKE. C206 PLT MAKE IMMEDIATE RETURN AND LNDG.

Narrative: IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF; TWR RPTED SMOKE COMING OFF OF THE BACK OF THE AIRPLANE. I REQUESTED A 180 DEG TO LNDG RWY 34 AND WAS CLRED TO LAND. UPON ROLLOUT TWR INFORMED ME THAT THE R FUEL CAP WAS HANGING FROM ITS CHAIN. THE 'SMOKE' WAS BELIEVED TO BE THE FUEL BEING VACUUMED FROM THE OPEN R TANK. AFTER CHKING THE FUEL LEVEL I MUST HAVE INCORRECTLY FASTENED THE CAP. THE BEST PRACTICE TO PREVENT THE SITUATION FROM REOCCURRING IS TO PHYSICALLY CHK THAT THE FUEL CAPS ARE CORRECTLY SECURED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.