Narrative:

We landed at islip 10/90, having flown the same aircraft twice previously the same day with no fuel problems. This model medium large transport had a fuel capacity of 24649 pounds. We required 21000 pounds for the flight to atlanta. The fueler loaded the fuel 9000 pounds, loft 3000 center 9000 pounds right. It should have been loaded 8500 pounds in each wing tank and 4000 pounds in center. We noticed a small amount of fuel leakage near the left main gear. We traced the leak to a small access panel on top inner portion of the left wing. We xferred the fuel to the proper tanks and the leakage stopped. We took off about 10-15 mins later with no evidence of any fuel leak. We had no fuel problems on the flight to atlanta. At no time did we contact maintenance for assistance. In retrospect I believe this was a mistake. We followed the 'normal' procedure for ground xfer of fuel to the proper tank confign and this resulted in a 'healthy' aircraft with no leaks. A complete follow-up would have been to have maintenance determine what caused the leakage in the first place. The fact that this was the last flight of a four day trip may influenced me to leave west/O determining the 'root cause' even though I had assured myself that the aircraft was safe. Possibly the old 'get homeitis' syndrome.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLT CREW MADE A GND FUEL TRANSFER WHEN A FUEL LEAK WAS NOTICED FROM THE LEFT MAIN TANK. MAINTENANCE NOT NOTIFIED AND TRANSFER MADE AFTER DEPARTING THE BLOCKS.

Narrative: WE LANDED AT ISLIP 10/90, HAVING FLOWN THE SAME ACFT TWICE PREVIOUSLY THE SAME DAY WITH NO FUEL PROBS. THIS MODEL MLG HAD A FUEL CAPACITY OF 24649 LBS. WE REQUIRED 21000 LBS FOR THE FLT TO ATLANTA. THE FUELER LOADED THE FUEL 9000 LBS, LOFT 3000 CTR 9000 LBS R. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOADED 8500 LBS IN EACH WING TANK AND 4000 LBS IN CTR. WE NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL LEAKAGE NEAR THE L MAIN GEAR. WE TRACED THE LEAK TO A SMALL ACCESS PANEL ON TOP INNER PORTION OF THE L WING. WE XFERRED THE FUEL TO THE PROPER TANKS AND THE LEAKAGE STOPPED. WE TOOK OFF ABOUT 10-15 MINS LATER WITH NO EVIDENCE OF ANY FUEL LEAK. WE HAD NO FUEL PROBS ON THE FLT TO ATLANTA. AT NO TIME DID WE CONTACT MAINT FOR ASSISTANCE. IN RETROSPECT I BELIEVE THIS WAS A MISTAKE. WE FOLLOWED THE 'NORMAL' PROC FOR GND XFER OF FUEL TO THE PROPER TANK CONFIGN AND THIS RESULTED IN A 'HEALTHY' ACFT WITH NO LEAKS. A COMPLETE FOLLOW-UP WOULD HAVE BEEN TO HAVE MAINT DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE LEAKAGE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE FACT THAT THIS WAS THE LAST FLT OF A FOUR DAY TRIP MAY INFLUENCED ME TO LEAVE W/O DETERMINING THE 'ROOT CAUSE' EVEN THOUGH I HAD ASSURED MYSELF THAT THE ACFT WAS SAFE. POSSIBLY THE OLD 'GET HOMEITIS' SYNDROME.

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.