Well, Yesterday was a bummer. I had planned an overnight trip to Waterloo from Ottawa (about a 1.5 hour trip) to have dinner with some friends. The weather was looking good, high ceilings and good forecast for the return trip. Long story short, I had a tonne of things to do to get ready, and it took me most of the day. Plus I had to wait for enough of the runway to be plowed so I could get out (we'd gotten hit with a dumping of snow the night before). Finally, at 2:30pm, I was ready for takeoff (which would have me in Waterloo well in time for dinner). Smiling, I throttled up and took off. Within seconds I felt a bit of something like the left wing dipping a touch, which I thought was just a bump of turbulence. I looked to my left and saw a missing fuel cap and fuel spraying out. ****. I checked that I was on the other tank (I was), and proceeded to climb into a circuit for an immediate return. I speculate that the slight wing dip I felt was as the fuel cap blew off the drag profile in the area around the missing fuel cap was suddenly different.
I have no idea what happened to the cap. I remember checking them both before takeoff. I'm guessing that maybe with the cold weather the seals had dried out or contracted? Weird thing is, i've been flying in colder weather than that several times over the last month.
My lesson-learned, I ordered a replacement cap plus a spare, which I will keep in my emergency tool kit in the back of the plane, so I have a spare one when I'm away from base.
I was really bummed out not to make it to Waterloo, but perhaps this was fate keeping me from making that flight for some other reason unbeknownst to me.
I have no idea what happened to the cap. I remember checking them both before takeoff. I'm guessing that maybe with the cold weather the seals had dried out or contracted? Weird thing is, i've been flying in colder weather than that several times over the last month.
My lesson-learned, I ordered a replacement cap plus a spare, which I will keep in my emergency tool kit in the back of the plane, so I have a spare one when I'm away from base.
I was really bummed out not to make it to Waterloo, but perhaps this was fate keeping me from making that flight for some other reason unbeknownst to me.