Narrative:

I performed my preflight and noticed the underside of both wings were wet with what appeared to be fuel. There was no dripping, just a fluid seep. Since the aircraft had been on the ramp all night, I assumed fuel had seeped out. I did not mention it to captain since this did not seem to be unusual based on my military experience and there was no company mechanic personnel at baton rouge. However, a local FAA inspector did a walkaround after me and informed captain of the fuel 'leak.' at that point the captain notified the company and contract maintenance inspected aircraft. What he found was 'skydrol' seeping from led actuators on large transport flaps. He contacted company maintenance and they determined it was well within limits to continue our flight (after 1 hour delay). We proceeded without further incident. I have seen this before on the large transport after a layover. If this is normal, the allowable limits should be easily accessible to expedite delays. If it is not we should pay more attention to it. I filed my own report with my company to clarify this matter. I also should have informed the captain instead of giving the FAA the opportunity.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT FE FAILS TO INFORM CAPT OF POSSIBLE FUEL SEEPAGE AFTER PREFLT. FAA ACI DOES WALKAROUND AND DOES NOTIFY CAPT.

Narrative: I PERFORMED MY PREFLT AND NOTICED THE UNDERSIDE OF BOTH WINGS WERE WET WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE FUEL. THERE WAS NO DRIPPING, JUST A FLUID SEEP. SINCE THE ACFT HAD BEEN ON THE RAMP ALL NIGHT, I ASSUMED FUEL HAD SEEPED OUT. I DID NOT MENTION IT TO CAPT SINCE THIS DID NOT SEEM TO BE UNUSUAL BASED ON MY MIL EXPERIENCE AND THERE WAS NO COMPANY MECH PERSONNEL AT BATON ROUGE. HOWEVER, A LCL FAA INSPECTOR DID A WALKAROUND AFTER ME AND INFORMED CAPT OF THE FUEL 'LEAK.' AT THAT POINT THE CAPT NOTIFIED THE COMPANY AND CONTRACT MAINT INSPECTED ACFT. WHAT HE FOUND WAS 'SKYDROL' SEEPING FROM LED ACTUATORS ON LGT FLAPS. HE CONTACTED COMPANY MAINT AND THEY DETERMINED IT WAS WELL WITHIN LIMITS TO CONTINUE OUR FLT (AFTER 1 HR DELAY). WE PROCEEDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE ON THE LGT AFTER A LAYOVER. IF THIS IS NORMAL, THE ALLOWABLE LIMITS SHOULD BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO EXPEDITE DELAYS. IF IT IS NOT WE SHOULD PAY MORE ATTN TO IT. I FILED MY OWN RPT WITH MY COMPANY TO CLARIFY THIS MATTER. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE INFORMED THE CAPT INSTEAD OF GIVING THE FAA THE OPPORTUNITY.

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.