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Flight crew of commuter flight on ferry flight discovers flight leak shortly after takeoff from sat and returns for landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 178348 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199105 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sat |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sat |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 166 flight time total : 2030 flight time type : 442 |
| ASRS Report | 178348 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
After leaving sat level at 11000' on the 081 degree right at 20 DME, I (first officer) noticed that the left fuel gauge indicated 400# less than the right gauge. The captain left the deck to visually check for a fuel leak as it was either a faulty gauge or a fuel leak. After visually checking, the captain returned, stating that there was fuel running aft past the passenger windows. The decision was made by us to return to sat. At this time, we were 35 DME out. The captain got hold of company while center vectored us around, and I flew back. X-feed of fuel was initiated to alleviate the possible problem of maximum differential (1212#). We proceeded back to sat. We got a fuel low level en route. Fortunately x-feed was started early enough to take care of the problem. We started to gain fuel on the left side. X-feed was deselected prior to landing. Landing proceeded as normal with fuel gauges reading 1100 pounds on right and 400# on left--imbalance of 700 pounds. Inspection after landing showed maintenance had not secured panel on top left, close to fuselage. Not visible on walk-around. No emergency was declared. Through crew concept we (captain and I) went over all scenarios prior to landing and what could have been a terrible problem actually was just an abnormality!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF COMMUTER FLT ON FERRY FLT DISCOVERS FLT LEAK SHORTLY AFTER TKOF FROM SAT AND RETURNS FOR LNDG.
Narrative: AFTER LEAVING SAT LEVEL AT 11000' ON THE 081 DEG R AT 20 DME, I (F/O) NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FUEL GAUGE INDICATED 400# LESS THAN THE RIGHT GAUGE. THE CAPT LEFT THE DECK TO VISUALLY CHK FOR A FUEL LEAK AS IT WAS EITHER A FAULTY GAUGE OR A FUEL LEAK. AFTER VISUALLY CHKING, THE CAPT RETURNED, STATING THAT THERE WAS FUEL RUNNING AFT PAST THE PAX WINDOWS. THE DECISION WAS MADE BY US TO RETURN TO SAT. AT THIS TIME, WE WERE 35 DME OUT. THE CAPT GOT HOLD OF COMPANY WHILE CENTER VECTORED US AROUND, AND I FLEW BACK. X-FEED OF FUEL WAS INITIATED TO ALLEVIATE THE POSSIBLE PROB OF MAX DIFFERENTIAL (1212#). WE PROCEEDED BACK TO SAT. WE GOT A FUEL LOW LEVEL ENRTE. FORTUNATELY X-FEED WAS STARTED EARLY ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROB. WE STARTED TO GAIN FUEL ON THE LEFT SIDE. X-FEED WAS DESELECTED PRIOR TO LNDG. LNDG PROCEEDED AS NORMAL WITH FUEL GAUGES READING 1100 LBS ON RIGHT AND 400# ON LEFT--IMBALANCE OF 700 LBS. INSPECTION AFTER LNDG SHOWED MAINT HAD NOT SECURED PANEL ON TOP LEFT, CLOSE TO FUSELAGE. NOT VISIBLE ON WALK-AROUND. NO EMER WAS DECLARED. THROUGH CREW CONCEPT WE (CAPT AND I) WENT OVER ALL SCENARIOS PRIOR TO LNDG AND WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE PROB ACTUALLY WAS JUST AN ABNORMALITY!
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.