A B737-800 aircraft right engine fuel leak considered excessive by pilot was ok'd by maintenance con...

Attributes
ACN	738048
Time
Date	200705
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cyvr.airport
State Reference	BC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	738048
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel leak
Resolutory Action	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : briefing performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Fuel leak on right engine at preflight; mechanic delayed flight for extended time; I spoke twice with maintenance control informed me that mechanic was not performing all procedures to clear continued leak. The leak was excessive to where the fire trucks were called to monitor motoring of engine and fuel spill on ramp was cleaned. My first officer and I both had not seen so much fuel leaking from engine and I informed maintenance control that there was continued stream of fuel and was now being collected in bucket under engine. He informed me that if motoring of engine was accomplished and no further leak noticed; then item could be cleared. Mechanic and I did start; ran engine and then shut down. No fuel leak during engine run noticed; mechanic still took extended time to sign off logbook due to reluctance that the leak was continuing after shutdown even though maintenance control said if no other leaks during engine run then ok for service.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 ACFT RIGHT ENGINE FUEL LEAK CONSIDERED EXCESSIVE BY PILOT WAS OK'D BY MAINT CTL IF DID NOT LEAK AFTER ENGINE RUN.

Narrative: FUEL LEAK ON R ENG AT PREFLT; MECH DELAYED FLT FOR EXTENDED TIME; I SPOKE TWICE WITH MAINT CTL INFORMED ME THAT MECH WAS NOT PERFORMING ALL PROCS TO CLR CONTINUED LEAK. THE LEAK WAS EXCESSIVE TO WHERE THE FIRE TRUCKS WERE CALLED TO MONITOR MOTORING OF ENG AND FUEL SPILL ON RAMP WAS CLEANED. MY FO AND I BOTH HAD NOT SEEN SO MUCH FUEL LEAKING FROM ENG AND I INFORMED MAINT CTL THAT THERE WAS CONTINUED STREAM OF FUEL AND WAS NOW BEING COLLECTED IN BUCKET UNDER ENG. HE INFORMED ME THAT IF MOTORING OF ENG WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND NO FURTHER LEAK NOTICED; THEN ITEM COULD BE CLRED. MECH AND I DID START; RAN ENG AND THEN SHUT DOWN. NO FUEL LEAK DURING ENG RUN NOTICED; MECH STILL TOOK EXTENDED TIME TO SIGN OFF LOGBOOK DUE TO RELUCTANCE THAT THE LEAK WAS CONTINUING AFTER SHUTDOWN EVEN THOUGH MAINT CTL SAID IF NO OTHER LEAKS DURING ENG RUN THEN OK FOR SVC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A B737-800 aircraft right engine fuel leak considered excessive by pilot was ok'd by maintenance control if did not leak after engine run.