Narrative:

I was the only technician working for a foreign air carrier. Due to ATC delays, we were late moving the aircraft to gate. After finishing the flight and passenger cabin logbook entries, I went outside to finish pre-departure checks. At departure time, ground crew members notified me of an apparent hydraulic leak on the right main gear. The gear assembly was wet, but I could not find a running leak. I notified the captain of the problem and he agreed to take the aircraft and make a logbook entry. The flight departed and was completed normally. I researched the problem later and found the leak was beyond limits. There were several factors which lead to this error. One was the constant feeling of running behind and feeling rushed. Another was the possibility of a full plane and canceling the trip. I am relatively new to the company and I'm unsure of my foreign bosses' feeling of canceling a trip with no parts or support. Another error was improperly assuming the legal leak limits. I should have delayed the trip to troubleshoot further.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 340-300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A R MAIN LNDG GEAR HYD LEAK BEYOND MAINT MANUAL LIMITS.

Narrative: I WAS THE ONLY TECHNICIAN WORKING FOR A FOREIGN ACR. DUE TO ATC DELAYS, WE WERE LATE MOVING THE ACFT TO GATE. AFTER FINISHING THE FLT AND PAX CABIN LOGBOOK ENTRIES, I WENT OUTSIDE TO FINISH PRE-DEP CHKS. AT DEP TIME, GND CREW MEMBERS NOTIFIED ME OF AN APPARENT HYD LEAK ON THE R MAIN GEAR. THE GEAR ASSEMBLY WAS WET, BUT I COULD NOT FIND A RUNNING LEAK. I NOTIFIED THE CAPT OF THE PROB AND HE AGREED TO TAKE THE ACFT AND MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY. THE FLT DEPARTED AND WAS COMPLETED NORMALLY. I RESEARCHED THE PROB LATER AND FOUND THE LEAK WAS BEYOND LIMITS. THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS WHICH LEAD TO THIS ERROR. ONE WAS THE CONSTANT FEELING OF RUNNING BEHIND AND FEELING RUSHED. ANOTHER WAS THE POSSIBILITY OF A FULL PLANE AND CANCELING THE TRIP. I AM RELATIVELY NEW TO THE COMPANY AND I'M UNSURE OF MY FOREIGN BOSSES' FEELING OF CANCELING A TRIP WITH NO PARTS OR SUPPORT. ANOTHER ERROR WAS IMPROPERLY ASSUMING THE LEGAL LEAK LIMITS. I SHOULD HAVE DELAYED THE TRIP TO TROUBLESHOOT FURTHER.

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.