Narrative:

After takeoff, right fuel quantity began decreasing at a rapid rate. The gauge tested normally. Simultaneously a passenger reported to the flight attendant that fuel was coming from under right wing area. I declared an emergency and returned to ewr. Postflt inspection revealed the manual defueling valve was open and the center and left wing tank fill valves were also left open. Maintenance had xferred fuel after the first officer did the walkaround. Maintenance had forgotten to close the valves and the ramp personnel that did a walkaround prior to pushback had also missed the open doors. The xfeed valve was used in-flight to sustain engine operation. An uneventful landing ensued. Recommend a logbook entry be required for fuel xfers. The buddy system (2 folks -- 1 qa) for safety of flight related items. The maintenance man was distraction by other job responsibilities on other gates so he forgot to close valves. Insure ramp personnel get better training on walkaround checks. Next time I'll probably go out and check myself or at least ask the guy if he closed up after he reports to me he is finished.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS TO RETURN LAND EWR BECAUSE FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE MANUAL DEFUELING VALVE AND THE L WING TANK FILL VALVE WHICH WERE NOT CLOSED AFTER GND CREW XFERRED FUEL. FUEL XFEED HAD TO BE USED TO KEEP BOTH ENGS RUNNING.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, R FUEL QUANTITY BEGAN DECREASING AT A RAPID RATE. THE GAUGE TESTED NORMALLY. SIMULTANEOUSLY A PAX RPTED TO THE FLT ATTENDANT THAT FUEL WAS COMING FROM UNDER R WING AREA. I DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO EWR. POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED THE MANUAL DEFUELING VALVE WAS OPEN AND THE CTR AND L WING TANK FILL VALVES WERE ALSO LEFT OPEN. MAINT HAD XFERRED FUEL AFTER THE FO DID THE WALKAROUND. MAINT HAD FORGOTTEN TO CLOSE THE VALVES AND THE RAMP PERSONNEL THAT DID A WALKAROUND PRIOR TO PUSHBACK HAD ALSO MISSED THE OPEN DOORS. THE XFEED VALVE WAS USED INFLT TO SUSTAIN ENG OP. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG ENSUED. RECOMMEND A LOGBOOK ENTRY BE REQUIRED FOR FUEL XFERS. THE BUDDY SYS (2 FOLKS -- 1 QA) FOR SAFETY OF FLT RELATED ITEMS. THE MAINT MAN WAS DISTR BY OTHER JOB RESPONSIBILITIES ON OTHER GATES SO HE FORGOT TO CLOSE VALVES. INSURE RAMP PERSONNEL GET BETTER TRAINING ON WALKAROUND CHKS. NEXT TIME I'LL PROBABLY GO OUT AND CHK MYSELF OR AT LEAST ASK THE GUY IF HE CLOSED UP AFTER HE RPTS TO ME HE IS FINISHED.

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.