<< >> NASA ASRS Report 137853, February 1990

Air carrier medium large transport departed with minor fuel leak at the engine sump. Action was reported to media and FAA is investigating.

Attributes
ACN	137853
Time
Date	199002
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	137853
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Prior to our departure from sdf to atl, ground personnel had informed me that there was fuel dripping from the left engine. So I had the ground personnel call for a mechanic and get him on his way over to the aircraft. Then I left the cockpit and went outside to inspect the engine. I observed a minor drip from the fuel sump drain. It is permitted to fly with a small static drip of this sort so I elected to depart. Upon arrival in atl I had maintenance inspect the engine. They performed a pressure test and were unable to find any leaks or drips whatsoever. The aircraft was then flown to its next destination. Because of bitter feelings from union personnel a call was made to the local news and to the FAA just to harass our airline. We are now accused of flying with a major fuel leak and the FAA is investigating the incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DEPARTED WITH MINOR FUEL LEAK AT THE ENGINE SUMP. ACTION WAS REPORTED TO MEDIA AND FAA IS INVESTIGATING.

Narrative: PRIOR TO OUR DEP FROM SDF TO ATL, GND PERSONNEL HAD INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS FUEL DRIPPING FROM THE LEFT ENGINE. SO I HAD THE GND PERSONNEL CALL FOR A MECHANIC AND GET HIM ON HIS WAY OVER TO THE ACFT. THEN I LEFT THE COCKPIT AND WENT OUTSIDE TO INSPECT THE ENGINE. I OBSERVED A MINOR DRIP FROM THE FUEL SUMP DRAIN. IT IS PERMITTED TO FLY WITH A SMALL STATIC DRIP OF THIS SORT SO I ELECTED TO DEPART. UPON ARR IN ATL I HAD MAINT INSPECT THE ENGINE. THEY PERFORMED A PRESSURE TEST AND WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY LEAKS OR DRIPS WHATSOEVER. THE ACFT WAS THEN FLOWN TO ITS NEXT DEST. BECAUSE OF BITTER FEELINGS FROM UNION PERSONNEL A CALL WAS MADE TO THE LOCAL NEWS AND TO THE FAA JUST TO HARASS OUR AIRLINE. WE ARE NOW ACCUSED OF FLYING WITH A MAJOR FUEL LEAK AND THE FAA IS INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.