PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga/6X
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 14; Flight Crew Total 594; Flight Crew Type 345
Distraction
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Procedure; Human Factors; Aircraft
Upon arriving at ZZZ; I asked the local FBO to fuel my aircraft. At their request; I allowed them to fuel the aircraft without me after hours. During my preflight inspection two days later; I noted the fuel quantity indicators in the wings indicated full fuel in the inner tanks. I noted that no water was present via a fuel sample despite heavy rain the day before; and that the gas caps were present on both wings. I was then distracted during my preflight inspection and did not remove the pilot side gas cap to visually inspect fuel level. The co-pilot side gas cap had previously been removed to observe fuel level in the tank. Engine start; taxi; and run up were unremarkable. Shortly after takeoff on runway XX; I noticed that the pilot side fuel cap had departed from the airplane and fuel was coming out of the wing at a tremendous rate. Fearing a severe weight imbalance; I Identified as an emergency and returned to land on runway 18 without further incident or damage. Extensive search of the airport grounds failed to locate the missing gas cap. No damage was noted in the gas cap receiver. I suspect that the gas cap was either damaged or installed incorrectly and the preflight inspection failed to uncover the fault.Chain of events:- Local airport staff removed both gas caps and fueled the plane unobserved.- Pilot side gas cap was either damaged or incorrectly reinstalled after fueling- Preflight inspection was not specifically performed on the pilot side gas cap- During takeoff; the gas cap came loose and departed from the aircraft- In-flight emergency was declared- Landing was successful without further incident or damageHuman Performance Considerations:- Other factors; such as lack of water in the fuel and fuel quantity indicators; gave the impression of properly installed fuel caps- Other activities occurring around the aircraft during the preflight inspection provided distractions that prevented a full inspection of the aircraft- Failure to remove and inspect the gas cap resulted with in-flight failure
PA-32 pilot reported loss of a fuel cap after takeoff.