Where Did The Gas Go?

Martha Lunken

Saturday, November 03, 2007 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The author experienced two distinct engine failures in her Cessna 180 due to fuel-related issues: first, an iced-over fuel vent, and months later, an unsecured fuel cap that siphoned both tanks dry, leading to an emergency landing on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
These incidents highlight the critical impact of both unforeseen environmental factors (icing) and human error (improperly secured cap), underscoring the constant need for vigilance and preparedness in aviation.
A primary takeaway for single-engine pilots is the vital importance of regularly practicing power-off approaches and landings to competently handle engine failures, a fundamental skill that can save lives.

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I Shivered a little that September morning at Nashua Airport, on a ladder with my finger in the left tank of the Cessna 180 taildragger. Good, the 100LL was puddling over the flaps. Topping these tanks was kind of funky because the airplane had rubber bladders and stiffly hinged flappers under the caps … new ones, installed after a semi-harrowing adventure earlier that year.

Thinking about the three-hour flight ahead, I ratcheted the cap back on and climbed down. At Altoona, I’d fuel up, offload coffee and replenish my stash of peanut butter crackers. Forgetting headsets, charts, pens, sunglasses, flashlights and potty-bags is no big deal. Running out of peanut butter crackers and Tootsie Pops is a disaster. Then two and a half hours to Cincinnati. It was Sunday, and I’d spent the week “working”-doing type rating check rides in a DC-3 freighter that spent most of its time hauling baby chicks.