Bonanza 35
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 180; Flight Crew Total 14000; Flight Crew Type 150
Other / Unknown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Declared Emergency
Human Factors; Aircraft
After takeoff avgas was observed venting from fuel tank. Emergency declared and an abbreviated traffic pattern was flown returning to the same runway. Landing was normal and aircraft taxied to fuel and maintenance facility where an adjustment was made to fuel cap locking mechanism by Certified Mechanic. Ninety percent of tank contents (one fuel tank of four) had vented while airborne. No fuel leak on ground. No damage or traffic conflicts were observed.
BE35 pilot reports fuel venting from a fuel tank cap just after takeoff. An emergency is declared and an abbreviated pattern is flown to the departure runway. Ninety percent of the fuel in that tank had vented in the short flight.