I have never parked my airplane after a more or less uneventful flight and been so dismayed at the sight of my wing when I shut down the engine. The flight, approach and landing were textbook, with no hint at all of the excitement that could have greeted me that night. No, the ailerons were fine, the flaps were retracted completely, the strobes intact and the leading edge had very few bugs. Here is my story.
Slow Down Your Flying
Key Takeaways:
- During a cross-country flight, a fuel truck breakdown led to an improvised and rushed fueling process in the rain, causing the right-wing fuel cap to be left off or improperly secured.
- This oversight resulted in the loss of all fuel from the right wing during the subsequent flight, a dangerous situation only discovered after landing.
- The incident highlighted the critical importance of conducting diligent preflight checks, even in adverse conditions or when routine procedures are interrupted by distractions, to prevent serious safety errors.
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