ZLIN-50LX PLT MAY HAVE ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC AND THEN FORGOT TO INSTALL A FUEL TANK CAP AFTER REFUELING AT AN INTERMEDIATE FUEL STOP.

Narrative

THIS INCIDENT WAS ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION OF THE STRESSES AND STRAINS OF AIRSHOW FLYING; AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR CAUSING AN INCIDENT. THE CULMINATION OF A VERY STRESSFUL 3-DAY AIRSHOW TRIP WAS MY LEAVING THE GAS CAP FOR THE AUX TANK OF MY ACFT SITTING ON THE WING WHEN I TOOK OFF AFTER AN INTERMEDIATE FUEL STOP AT ZZZ. THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS WAS AS FOLLOWS: THURSDAY MORNING WAS VERY LOW MVFR AT MY HOME ARPT; WITH WX RAPIDLY CLOSING DOWN IN THE EARLY MORNING. I RUSHED TO GET EVERYTHING READY; AND MADE THE SHORT HOP TO ZZZ ARPT; WHERE I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND HAVE SOME BREAKFAST; REFUEL THE AIRPLANE; AND PROGRAM MY GPS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT TO ZZZ1; THE FIRST STOP ON MY WKEND AIRSHOW TOUR. IN MY HASTE TO GET MOVING BEFORE THE WX CLOSED IN; I WAS UNABLE TO PROGRAM MY GPS; AND SO MAY WELL HAVE PASSED THROUGH THE EDGE OF ZZZY CLASS C AIRSPACE. THE FLT TO ZZZ1 WAS MARGINAL; BUT OTHERWISE UNEVENTFUL; AND MY SHOW ON FRIDAY WENT WELL. I PERFORMED A SHOW ON SATURDAY; IMMEDIATELY CONFIGURED THE AIRPLANE FOR XCOUNTRY; AND STARTED TO FLY TO MY SECOND SHOW AT ZZZ2 ARPT; WHICH WAS TO BE PRESENTED SUNDAY. DEPARTED ZZZ1 ABOUT XA00; ARRIVED ZZZ ABOUT XB15; REFUELED; HAD LUNCH; AND TOOK OFF FOR ZZZ2; LEAVING THE FUEL CAP OF MY R AUX TANK SITTING ON THE WING. ABOUT 1/2 WAY TO ZZZ2; I NOTICED THIS; SO BURNED THE R AUX TANK EMPTY BEFORE LNDG AT ZZZ2. UPON LNDG; THE FIRST PERSON TO GREET ME WAS THE FAA AIRSHOW MONITOR; TO INSPECT MY PAPERS. HE NOTICED THE GAS CAP WAS OFF AND INQUIRED HOW I WAS GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT. I INFORMED HIM THAT THE TANKS WERE COMPLETELY SEPARATE SYS; THAT I WOULD TAPE THE TANK CLOSED WITH SOME FIREPROOF TAPE; AND DRAIN ALL OF THE RESIDUAL FUEL FROM THAT TANK; AS EACH TANK ON THIS AIRPLANE HAS ITS OWN DRAIN. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED. 3 SHOWS WERE FLOWN WITHOUT INCIDENT ON SUNDAY. THE FLT FROM ZZZ2 TO ZZZ (WHERE THE LINE BOY HAD VERY CONSIDERATELY SALVAGED MY GAS CAP; AND HAD IT FOR ME) WAS UNEVENTFUL; AS WAS THE REMAINING TRIP TO ZZZ3. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED AT MY HOME ARPT; I WAS SO FATIGUED THAT I ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WENT TO SLEEP; NOT WAKING UNTIL WELL INTO THE NEXT MORNING. UPON MATURE REFLECTION; I SEE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I DID WRONG. ALTHOUGH I INTELLECTUALLY KNOW THAT AIRSHOW FLYING IS BOTH PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY DEMANDING; I WAS UNABLE TO SEPARATE MYSELF FROM SOME NEGATIVE AIRSHOW POLITICS THAT WENT ON AT MY FIRST SHOW. I FLEW 2 SHOWS AT THE FIRST LOCATION; AND THEN ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE SHOW FLEW A 2-HOP FLT TO THE SITE OF THE SECOND SHOW. MORE AIRSHOW POLITICS THAT NIGHT; AND 3 SHOWS THE NEXT DAY; ALONG WITH THE FLT HOME. BEING 60 YRS OLD; THIS IS PROBABLY MORE THAN MY BODY CAN SAFELY TOLERATE. I BEGIN TO SEE; NOW; SOME OF THE WISDOM BEHIND THE 60 YR OLD RULE FOR AIRLINE PLTS. THOUGH I HAVE BEEN FLYING PROFESSIONALLY FOR 10 YRS AND INTELLECTUALLY KNOW OF THE DEMANDS THAT AIRSHOW FLYING MAKES ON ME; IT IS HARD TO PASS UP AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLY YET ANOTHER SHOW. I THINK AN IMPORTANT LESSON HERE IS THAT IT IS PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA TO TRY TO FLY 2 SHOWS IN 1 WKEND. IT IS OFTEN SAID THAT GOD LOOKS AFTER FOOLS; AND I MUST ADMIT THAT I PUSHED MYSELF FOOLISHLY HARD ON THIS WKEND.