Fuel cap departed a dc-3 in-flight.

Attributes
ACN	837903
Time
Date	200905
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	DC-3/Dakota/Skytrain
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Fuel Tank Cap
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying First Officer
Qualification	Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 18 Flight Crew Total 18775 Flight Crew Type 340
Person 2
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 35 Flight Crew Total 30550 Flight Crew Type 2050
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue

Narrative:

The aircraft was fueled prior to departure by one of the crewmembers other than the pilots. Apparently the individual performing the fueling failed to properly secure the fuel cap. This caused the fuel cap to depart the aircraft after takeoff. Since this was an auxiliary tank; it was filled with about 50 gallons of fuel; well below the 200 gallons normally carried when full. The main tanks were full. The second in command observed the auxiliary fuel cap to be in place as he boarded the aircraft. After talking with the crew member performing the fueling after the incident; it became clear that he did not double check the security of the cap. The lesson learned here is that at least one pilot qualified to fuel the aircraft double check any other crew member; including the crew chief who fuels the aircraft for properly securing the gas cap after fueling.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Fuel cap departed a DC-3 in-flight.

Narrative: The aircraft was fueled prior to departure by one of the crewmembers other than the pilots. Apparently the individual performing the fueling failed to properly secure the fuel cap. This caused the fuel cap to depart the aircraft after takeoff. Since this was an auxiliary tank; it was filled with about 50 gallons of fuel; well below the 200 gallons normally carried when full. The main tanks were full. The Second in Command observed the auxiliary fuel cap to be in place as he boarded the aircraft. After talking with the crew member performing the fueling after the incident; it became clear that he did not double check the security of the cap. The lesson learned here is that at least one pilot qualified to fuel the aircraft double check any other crew member; including the crew chief who fuels the aircraft for properly securing the gas cap after fueling.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.