<< >> NASA ASRS Report 635690, November 2004

A fuel leak was discovered in the right wing surge tank of a B737-200. The discrepancy had been previously reported and supposedly repaired.

Attributes
ACN	635690
Time
Date	200411
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	635690
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight at ZZZ was parked and being loaded at ramp. Fuel was noted at 18000 pounds, pre-clearance called for 19000 pounds. Radio call to dispatch was made and new manifest generated. Note was made to be aware of alternates 'down the line.' while conducting preflight walkaround, a fuel leak was discovered from the right wing surge tank. Logbook and maintenance records revealed that the surge tank valve had been installed incorrectly. This write-up was made a few days prior and a few weeks prior. It is my opinion that the malfunction was known, not corrected and our departure fuel was 'short' in order to prevent surge tank overflow.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FUEL LEAK WAS DISCOVERED IN THE R WING SURGE TANK OF A B737-200. THE DISCREPANCY HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY RPTED AND SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED.

Narrative: FLT AT ZZZ WAS PARKED AND BEING LOADED AT RAMP. FUEL WAS NOTED AT 18000 LBS, PRE-CLRNC CALLED FOR 19000 LBS. RADIO CALL TO DISPATCH WAS MADE AND NEW MANIFEST GENERATED. NOTE WAS MADE TO BE AWARE OF ALTERNATES 'DOWN THE LINE.' WHILE CONDUCTING PREFLT WALKAROUND, A FUEL LEAK WAS DISCOVERED FROM THE R WING SURGE TANK. LOGBOOK AND MAINT RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE SURGE TANK VALVE HAD BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. THIS WRITE-UP WAS MADE A FEW DAYS PRIOR AND A FEW WKS PRIOR. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE MALFUNCTION WAS KNOWN, NOT CORRECTED AND OUR DEP FUEL WAS 'SHORT' IN ORDER TO PREVENT SURGE TANK OVERFLOW.

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.