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At 10:29 PM 12/17/02 -0400, kathyw wrote:
>.
> The only time I had such an event was because a "pop rivet" had
> mistakenly been used to repair my right fuel cap and failed. I had just
> refueled and was 1/2 hr out when I noticed my header tank
> dropping. People accuse me of even carrying the kitchen sink on across
> our country flights, but this time a small mirror alerted me to the
right
> tank's fuel syphoning overboard. I diverted quickly to an alternate 20
> miles away and landed without incident. Fortuneately for me an
> ex-Ercoupe owner was the mechanic, eagerly repairing the cap correctly
> for "no cost", just glad to help a 'Couper!
> There actually are lessons here for all of us. Upon refueling, even
> if the FBO insists THEY must do the actual fueling, you do NOT have to
> allow them to remove or replace your fuel caps, which is why that "pop
> rivet" was probably used for repair in the first place, unbeknownst to
> me! Plus I then can monitor the fuel tanks volume during filling to 1"
> below the rim.
Ya know, Kathy, that about the same thing happened to Opal and I when we
went to Terrell in 2001 for the EOC nationals.
Got fuel at Grandville, last stop before Terrell. `Bout half way up the
east side of the DFW Class B, I asked Opal "Does
your headder tank usually ride so low?" "Nope."
So here we are, looking for Terrell as the fuel indicator "Sinks
Slowely
in the West." Or north, as we were actually
headed. Terrell came up over the bow before the indicator sunk below it,
so we made that one. Checked it all out
thoroughly. Found the right cap had been mis-installed. Continued
checkout with engine run and all was well. I cussed
myself most thoroughly for missing that - it was on my side of the plane,
after all.
After the meeting, we retraced our route. Wheels off Terrell tarmac as
the sun came up. Fueled at Grandville again. Same
guy pumping the gas. This time, I caught him. He had the cap on entirely
backwards! Opal and I returned to Roswell without
any incident. So Watch Them Caps, Guys!
Percy in Portland
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