An MD90 in cruise at FL310 the crew was advised of a left wing upper surface inboard fuel boost pump...

Attributes
ACN	393100
Time
Date	199802
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv tower : mdw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-90 Series (DC-9-90) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	393100
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

About 200 mi east of den, the #2 flight attendant advised me that passenger were concerned about fuel leaking from the left wing. I went back and observed we did have fuel leaking from the overwing boost pump access panel. I had been running a fuel log and recomputed our fuel used versus block and fuel remaining. I showed a 200 pound difference. I contacted flight control via commercial radio and relayed our problem. Having 24300 pounds fuel remaining and only 1 1/2 hours to fly to rno, even with a loss rate of 200 pounds per hour, we estimate an ending fuel of 15000 pounds remaining on arrival at rno. The dispatcher and I agreed continued flight to rno was acceptable. I continued to compute block fuel versus fuel remaining and updated flight control over slc. On arrival in rno we had 14500 pounds, 500 pounds less than planned due to unforecast 120 KT winds from slc to rno. Maintenance found loose screws and are working on clearing the write-up. Note: we ran the fuel leak checklist and it did not address our problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was an MD90 and was only a few days old. The reporter said the leak was located on the left wing upper surface inboard fuel pump access plate and was caused by the fasteners on the plate being loose. The reporter stated the loss of fuel did not cause any diversion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD90 IN CRUISE AT FL310 THE CREW WAS ADVISED OF A L WING UPPER SURFACE INBOARD FUEL BOOST PUMP ACCESS PLATE FUEL LEAK CAUSED BY LOOSE TANK PLATE FASTENERS.

Narrative: ABOUT 200 MI E OF DEN, THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT ADVISED ME THAT PAX WERE CONCERNED ABOUT FUEL LEAKING FROM THE L WING. I WENT BACK AND OBSERVED WE DID HAVE FUEL LEAKING FROM THE OVERWING BOOST PUMP ACCESS PANEL. I HAD BEEN RUNNING A FUEL LOG AND RECOMPUTED OUR FUEL USED VERSUS BLOCK AND FUEL REMAINING. I SHOWED A 200 LB DIFFERENCE. I CONTACTED FLT CTL VIA COMMERCIAL RADIO AND RELAYED OUR PROB. HAVING 24300 LBS FUEL REMAINING AND ONLY 1 1/2 HRS TO FLY TO RNO, EVEN WITH A LOSS RATE OF 200 LBS PER HR, WE ESTIMATE AN ENDING FUEL OF 15000 LBS REMAINING ON ARR AT RNO. THE DISPATCHER AND I AGREED CONTINUED FLT TO RNO WAS ACCEPTABLE. I CONTINUED TO COMPUTE BLOCK FUEL VERSUS FUEL REMAINING AND UPDATED FLT CTL OVER SLC. ON ARR IN RNO WE HAD 14500 LBS, 500 LBS LESS THAN PLANNED DUE TO UNFORECAST 120 KT WINDS FROM SLC TO RNO. MAINT FOUND LOOSE SCREWS AND ARE WORKING ON CLRING THE WRITE-UP. NOTE: WE RAN THE FUEL LEAK CHKLIST AND IT DID NOT ADDRESS OUR PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS AN MD90 AND WAS ONLY A FEW DAYS OLD. THE RPTR SAID THE LEAK WAS LOCATED ON THE L WING UPPER SURFACE INBOARD FUEL PUMP ACCESS PLATE AND WAS CAUSED BY THE FASTENERS ON THE PLATE BEING LOOSE. THE RPTR STATED THE LOSS OF FUEL DID NOT CAUSE ANY DIVERSION.

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 MD90 in cruise at FL310 the crew was advised of a left wing upper surface inboard fuel boost pump access plate fuel leak caused by loose tank plate fasteners.