An air carrier E120 flight crew notices a fuel loss from the right main tank just after takeoff. The...

Attributes
ACN	389856
Time
Date	199712
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 749 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	389856
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff I noticed a fuel imbalance and questioned the first officer about the fuel load. I then saw the imbalance was increasing, at that point we went to xfeed. We noticed fuel was decreasing from the right tank and determined we had a severe leak of approximately 100 pounds a min. We then told ATC we needed to return to the field, as the imbalance passed 600 pounds we declared an emergency and notified the flight attendant. After touchdown we secured #2 engine on runway 36R with approximately 1100 pounds imbalance. We taxied clear for fire rescue to look for fire and advise us of the severity. We were instructed to taxi onto runway 5/23 and evacuate/evacuation the passenger. The evacuate/evacuation was through the main cabin door, no injury to passenger or crew and no damage to aircraft other than fuel leak. The leak was through access panel just inboard of the right engine nacelle. 9 screws were gone and the panel was hanging down. Everyone involved performed their task efficiently and effectively. The only thing I would have liked to have done quicker, was transportation for the passenger off the runway and out of the elements. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter said that the aircraft's fuel imbalance differential limitation is 600 pounds between wing tanks on the EMB120RT. They were at 1100 pounds after touchdown. The captain said that this aircraft had completed a 'D' maintenance check approximately 1 month ago and, he was told by a maintenance supervisor, this inspection plate was removed and reinstalled during that procedure. He also was, allegedly, told that the fasteners on these inspection plates tend to 'back off' and must be retorqued periodically. The plates referred to by the reporter are on the underside of the wing between the fuselage of the aircraft and the engine nacelle. The reporter said that there are 3 plates on each wing and this particular plate was on the right wing nearest the engine nacelle.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR E120 FLC NOTICES A FUEL LOSS FROM THE R MAIN TANK JUST AFTER TKOF. THEY DECLARE AN EMER AND RETURN. THE LEAK WAS FROM A LOWER R WING INSPECTION PANEL ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK THAT HAD SOME FASTENERS MISSING.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF I NOTICED A FUEL IMBALANCE AND QUESTIONED THE FO ABOUT THE FUEL LOAD. I THEN SAW THE IMBALANCE WAS INCREASING, AT THAT POINT WE WENT TO XFEED. WE NOTICED FUEL WAS DECREASING FROM THE R TANK AND DETERMINED WE HAD A SEVERE LEAK OF APPROX 100 LBS A MIN. WE THEN TOLD ATC WE NEEDED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD, AS THE IMBALANCE PASSED 600 LBS WE DECLARED AN EMER AND NOTIFIED THE FLT ATTENDANT. AFTER TOUCHDOWN WE SECURED #2 ENG ON RWY 36R WITH APPROX 1100 LBS IMBALANCE. WE TAXIED CLR FOR FIRE RESCUE TO LOOK FOR FIRE AND ADVISE US OF THE SEVERITY. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI ONTO RWY 5/23 AND EVAC THE PAX. THE EVAC WAS THROUGH THE MAIN CABIN DOOR, NO INJURY TO PAX OR CREW AND NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OTHER THAN FUEL LEAK. THE LEAK WAS THROUGH ACCESS PANEL JUST INBOARD OF THE R ENG NACELLE. 9 SCREWS WERE GONE AND THE PANEL WAS HANGING DOWN. EVERYONE INVOLVED PERFORMED THEIR TASK EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY. THE ONLY THING I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE DONE QUICKER, WAS TRANSPORTATION FOR THE PAX OFF THE RWY AND OUT OF THE ELEMENTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THAT THE ACFT'S FUEL IMBALANCE DIFFERENTIAL LIMITATION IS 600 LBS BTWN WING TANKS ON THE EMB120RT. THEY WERE AT 1100 LBS AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE CAPT SAID THAT THIS ACFT HAD COMPLETED A 'D' MAINT CHK APPROX 1 MONTH AGO AND, HE WAS TOLD BY A MAINT SUPVR, THIS INSPECTION PLATE WAS REMOVED AND REINSTALLED DURING THAT PROC. HE ALSO WAS, ALLEGEDLY, TOLD THAT THE FASTENERS ON THESE INSPECTION PLATES TEND TO 'BACK OFF' AND MUST BE RETORQUED PERIODICALLY. THE PLATES REFERRED TO BY THE RPTR ARE ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WING BTWN THE FUSELAGE OF THE ACFT AND THE ENG NACELLE. THE RPTR SAID THAT THERE ARE 3 PLATES ON EACH WING AND THIS PARTICULAR PLATE WAS ON THE R WING NEAREST THE ENG NACELLE.

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.

An air carrier E120 flight crew notices a fuel loss from the right main tank just after takeoff. They declare an emergency and return. The leak was from a lower right wing inspection panel on the bottom of the fuel tank that had some fasteners missing.