Narrative:

While en route from lax to hnl, experienced a fuel leak of unk origin. The flight was progressing uneventfully until shortly past the etp (equal time point). At that time, a discrepancy was noted in fuel gauge readings versus computed fuel used. Subsequent investigation revealed an actual fuel loss, confirmed by a visual sighting by the F/east. The decision was made to divert to the closest airport, in point of time, hilo, hi (ito).#1 engine was shut down as a precaution to avert in-flight fire due to possible ingestion of fuel, an emergency was declared and the flight landed at hilo in a routine manner. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states that for the first 2:30 hours of the flight fuel was close to computer flight plan, about 2500 pounds less but that was attributed to being held at a lower altitude than computer flight plan due to traffic. It was after the mid-way point that the fuel loss seemed to accelerate and a visual inspection indicated fuel coming off the pylon and off the trailing edge of the left wing. Reporter cites a previous experience in this type aircraft 2 yrs prior where the engine was shut down and a landing made prior to destination due to a fuel leak at the leading edge of the wing. In this case the fuel shut off didn't close so #2 and #3 engines were fed off #1 tank until that usable fuel was consumed. An immediate drift down was started, off course, with hnl center being advised of the emergency situation. The remainder of the flight was basically at 20,000' with an idle power draft down started about 100 mi out. Landing was made and fuel remaining was estimated around 3500 pounds. A worn fuel line was found to be ruptured. Reporter further stated that he heard or 'felt' that the aircraft manufacturer was looking at this situation as well as the FAA because of the line installation. It apparently is an FAA approved 'mod' that allows for a soft line insert between 2 cutouts, coupled with fasteners, to allow for a 'quick' engine removal. The line must have abraded itself against another part of the aircraft and the 3000 pounds of pressure ruptured the weakened 'soft' line. It isn't known why the shut off did not close when the controls were activated in the cockpit. Supplemental information from acn 112234: ATC clearance through a ring to descend was too slow. It was necessary to shut down engine which required descent.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNCONTROLLABLE FUEL LOSS EXPERIENCED PAST MID POINT OF FLT IN OCEANIC AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM LAX TO HNL, EXPERIENCED A FUEL LEAK OF UNK ORIGIN. THE FLT WAS PROGRESSING UNEVENTFULLY UNTIL SHORTLY PAST THE ETP (EQUAL TIME POINT). AT THAT TIME, A DISCREPANCY WAS NOTED IN FUEL GAUGE READINGS VERSUS COMPUTED FUEL USED. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED AN ACTUAL FUEL LOSS, CONFIRMED BY A VISUAL SIGHTING BY THE F/E. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DIVERT TO THE CLOSEST ARPT, IN POINT OF TIME, HILO, HI (ITO).#1 ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN AS A PRECAUTION TO AVERT INFLT FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE INGESTION OF FUEL, AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND THE FLT LANDED AT HILO IN A ROUTINE MANNER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER STATES THAT FOR THE FIRST 2:30 HOURS OF THE FLT FUEL WAS CLOSE TO COMPUTER FLT PLAN, ABOUT 2500 LBS LESS BUT THAT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO BEING HELD AT A LOWER ALT THAN COMPUTER FLT PLAN DUE TO TFC. IT WAS AFTER THE MID-WAY POINT THAT THE FUEL LOSS SEEMED TO ACCELERATE AND A VISUAL INSPECTION INDICATED FUEL COMING OFF THE PYLON AND OFF THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING. REPORTER CITES A PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE ACFT 2 YRS PRIOR WHERE THE ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN AND A LNDG MADE PRIOR TO DEST DUE TO A FUEL LEAK AT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING. IN THIS CASE THE FUEL SHUT OFF DIDN'T CLOSE SO #2 AND #3 ENGINES WERE FED OFF #1 TANK UNTIL THAT USABLE FUEL WAS CONSUMED. AN IMMEDIATE DRIFT DOWN WAS STARTED, OFF COURSE, WITH HNL CENTER BEING ADVISED OF THE EMER SITUATION. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS BASICALLY AT 20,000' WITH AN IDLE POWER DRAFT DOWN STARTED ABOUT 100 MI OUT. LNDG WAS MADE AND FUEL REMAINING WAS ESTIMATED AROUND 3500 LBS. A WORN FUEL LINE WAS FOUND TO BE RUPTURED. REPORTER FURTHER STATED THAT HE HEARD OR 'FELT' THAT THE ACFT MANUFACTURER WAS LOOKING AT THIS SITUATION AS WELL AS THE FAA BECAUSE OF THE LINE INSTALLATION. IT APPARENTLY IS AN FAA APPROVED 'MOD' THAT ALLOWS FOR A SOFT LINE INSERT BETWEEN 2 CUTOUTS, COUPLED WITH FASTENERS, TO ALLOW FOR A 'QUICK' ENGINE REMOVAL. THE LINE MUST HAVE ABRADED ITSELF AGAINST ANOTHER PART OF THE ACFT AND THE 3000 LBS OF PRESSURE RUPTURED THE WEAKENED 'SOFT' LINE. IT ISN'T KNOWN WHY THE SHUT OFF DID NOT CLOSE WHEN THE CONTROLS WERE ACTIVATED IN THE COCKPIT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 112234: ATC CLRNC THROUGH A RING TO DSND WAS TOO SLOW. IT WAS NECESSARY TO SHUT DOWN ENGINE WHICH REQUIRED DSCNT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.