Instructor pilot, with student, of a beech BE58 baron declared an emergency after takeoff and returned to land due to fuel leaking into the cockpit.

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Attributes
ACN	449692
Time
Date	199909
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdr.airport
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bdr.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	449692
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel leak in cockpit other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : evacuated flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After departing bdr runway 24, my student and I detected a strong fuel odor in the cockpit. We decided to return for landing, and on downwind I noticed fuel pouring out from under the panel on the right side. I contacted the tower and asked them to roll the emergency equipment. After they received my response, I shut off the avionics and master switch and alternators. On 3/4 mi final, I shut off the fuel selectors, pulled the mixtures and shut off the magnetos. Once we rolled to a stop we exited the aircraft and ran away while the crash fire rescue equipment crew secured the scene. There was no fire or damage to the aircraft. Upon closer inspection by maintenance personnel, it was determined that a fuel line to the fuel pressure gauge was leaking at a fitting and loosened when takeoff power was applied. Being current in emergency procedures in the aircraft prevented the situation from becoming much worse. The development of newer technology to keep fuel lines out of the cockpit would also have helped the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR PLT, WITH STUDENT, OF A BEECH BE58 BARON DECLARED AN EMER AFTER TKOF AND RETURNED TO LAND DUE TO FUEL LEAKING INTO THE COCKPIT.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING BDR RWY 24, MY STUDENT AND I DETECTED A STRONG FUEL ODOR IN THE COCKPIT. WE DECIDED TO RETURN FOR LNDG, AND ON DOWNWIND I NOTICED FUEL POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE PANEL ON THE R SIDE. I CONTACTED THE TWR AND ASKED THEM TO ROLL THE EMER EQUIP. AFTER THEY RECEIVED MY RESPONSE, I SHUT OFF THE AVIONICS AND MASTER SWITCH AND ALTERNATORS. ON 3/4 MI FINAL, I SHUT OFF THE FUEL SELECTORS, PULLED THE MIXTURES AND SHUT OFF THE MAGNETOS. ONCE WE ROLLED TO A STOP WE EXITED THE ACFT AND RAN AWAY WHILE THE CFR CREW SECURED THE SCENE. THERE WAS NO FIRE OR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION BY MAINT PERSONNEL, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A FUEL LINE TO THE FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE WAS LEAKING AT A FITTING AND LOOSENED WHEN TKOF PWR WAS APPLIED. BEING CURRENT IN EMER PROCS IN THE ACFT PREVENTED THE SIT FROM BECOMING MUCH WORSE. THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEWER TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP FUEL LINES OUT OF THE COCKPIT WOULD ALSO HAVE HELPED THE SIT.

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.