This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
My Decathlon 8KCAB experienced engine failure while en route to home field.
Made an uneventful landing at a private airstrip that was on route of flight. Upon landing discovered missing fuel cap.
Aerobatic flight with several moments of inverted flight time led to loss of fuel, hence running out of fuel before making it back to home field.
Found fuel cap at home field, returned to airplane with cap and fueled and tested airplane was good, so was able to fly airplane back to home base.
Fueler failed to put fuel cap on tight and I failed to physically check that the cap was secure (something I normally do).
We can never trust fuelers to properly secure fuel caps. PIC must always verify the cap is secure. Screw on caps must be checked by physically touching the cap and checking they are on tight!
Primary Problem: Aircraft
ACN: 2165834
When you click on the link it will take you to the ASRS Online Database. Click on Report Number and put the ACN in the search box, then click Search. On that page, click on “view only the 1 most recent report.”
It seems the pilot also failed to look in or stab the tank. Had he done either, he would have had the cap in his hand.
Who cares what you call it? He’s saying check the fuel cap, which he didn’t do.
Aerobatic flight plan and did not check fuel cap? What else was skipped on the preflight? This was a bald CYA report.
This is NOT an engine failure!
This is fuel starvation and a HUGE difference!
No, this is fuel exhaustion.
Correct, a pure case of fuel exhaustion. I was flying cross country one time and stopped for a refuel and short break. I asked to have fuel put in the plane and when I came back out the cap was still sitting on the wing! Preflight always and consistently or pay the consequences.