Flight crew of air carrier large transport detected a fuel problem after takeoff from dfw. Cabin att...

Attributes
ACN	169457
Time
Date	199101
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw tower : dfw artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	169457
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	171206
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After takeoff when flaps were retracted to 0, #3 leading edge flap indicated not fully up. Recycled flaps to 2 degree and then back to 0. Flaps then indicated normal. While climbing through 11000', flight officer noticed #1 fuel tank gauge decreasing rapidly and at about the same time a flight attendant called from cabin and reported 'fluid' coming from left wing. Flight officer went back to cabin after turning off #1 fuel tank boost pumps and checking fuel dump panel normal. Flight officer returned from cabin and reported large amount of fuel coming from leading edge of left wing. Decision was made to return to dfw and land and to dump fuel from right fuel tanks to restore balance and cg. The #1 fuel tank decreased to 5000 pounds and then stopped decreasing, loss rate was about 500 pounds/ min up to that point. Fuel was dumped down to 5000 pounds/tank and landing made west/O problem. Prior to landing, strobe lights and navigation lights were turned off as well as air conditioning packs. After landing, #1 engine was not reversed and flaps were not retracted. When stopped fire department confirmed only residual fuel dripping from left wing. Deplaned passengers through aft stairs after complete shutdown. Not being able to communication directly with firemen was very frustrating although dfw tower and ground control did a very good job of relay. Mechanic later reported #3 leading edge flap track had broken and punctured left wing fuel tank.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF ACR LGT DETECTED A FUEL PROBLEM AFTER TKOF FROM DFW. CAB REPORTED FUEL COMING OUT OF LEFT WING. SO CONFIRMED THE LEAK AND THE CAPT DECIDED TO RETURN LAND.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF WHEN FLAPS WERE RETRACTED TO 0, #3 LEADING EDGE FLAP INDICATED NOT FULLY UP. RECYCLED FLAPS TO 2 DEG AND THEN BACK TO 0. FLAPS THEN INDICATED NORMAL. WHILE CLBING THROUGH 11000', FLT OFFICER NOTICED #1 FUEL TANK GAUGE DECREASING RAPIDLY AND AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME A FLT ATTENDANT CALLED FROM CABIN AND RPTED 'FLUID' COMING FROM L WING. FLT OFFICER WENT BACK TO CABIN AFTER TURNING OFF #1 FUEL TANK BOOST PUMPS AND CHKING FUEL DUMP PANEL NORMAL. FLT OFFICER RETURNED FROM CABIN AND RPTED LARGE AMOUNT OF FUEL COMING FROM LEADING EDGE OF L WING. DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO DFW AND LAND AND TO DUMP FUEL FROM R FUEL TANKS TO RESTORE BALANCE AND CG. THE #1 FUEL TANK DECREASED TO 5000 LBS AND THEN STOPPED DECREASING, LOSS RATE WAS ABOUT 500 LBS/ MIN UP TO THAT POINT. FUEL WAS DUMPED DOWN TO 5000 LBS/TANK AND LNDG MADE W/O PROB. PRIOR TO LNDG, STROBE LIGHTS AND NAV LIGHTS WERE TURNED OFF AS WELL AS AIR CONDITIONING PACKS. AFTER LNDG, #1 ENG WAS NOT REVERSED AND FLAPS WERE NOT RETRACTED. WHEN STOPPED FIRE DEPT CONFIRMED ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL DRIPPING FROM L WING. DEPLANED PAXS THROUGH AFT STAIRS AFTER COMPLETE SHUTDOWN. NOT BEING ABLE TO COM DIRECTLY WITH FIREMEN WAS VERY FRUSTRATING ALTHOUGH DFW TWR AND GND CTL DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF RELAY. MECH LATER RPTED #3 LEADING EDGE FLAP TRACK HAD BROKEN AND PUNCTURED L WING FUEL TANK.

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.

Flight crew of air carrier large transport detected a fuel problem after takeoff from dfw. Cabin attendant reported fuel coming out of left wing. So confirmed the leak and the captain decided to return land.