Narrative:

On flight from ZZZ to ZZZ1 and then a follow on flight to ZZZ2 and ZZZ3 we were notified of fluid seeping from the right wing; third boost pump cover; by a deplaning passenger. We notified maintenance. Maintenance performed a fluid seepage check using a dry powder; which was spread upon the right wing and allowed to situation for approximately 15 mins to determine the extent of the fuel leak. The fuel seepage spread to an area of approximately 2 inches at its widest point after the allocated amount of time. The mechanics tightened down the philip head screws on the boost pump cover. The fuel seepage was found to be within limits and annotated so in the logbook. No guidance was found in our manuals and since the seepage was within maintenance manual criteria; we elected to continue the flight even though a deferral per the MEL was not given. Since this aircraft routing began at ZZZ4 (same date as departure); it is my belief that if our maintenance overnight procedures had not been reduced in the last few yrs; mechanical items such as this would have been found where they should have; during the overnight maintenance inspections/checks and not continued to be passed along to the crews and passenger out on the line. I will heavily reconsider my option to continue under such circumstances in the future due to the safety implications that may be present. Who approved such a procedure; and is it really safe to be flying around with any amount of jet a seeping out upon the outer surfaces of a wing?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CAPTAIN RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT CONTINUED MAINT DEFICIENCIES BEING PASSED ALONG TO CREWS OUT ON THE LINE AND A RECENT FUEL LEAK FROM RIGHT WING BOOST PUMP.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 AND THEN A FOLLOW ON FLT TO ZZZ2 AND ZZZ3 WE WERE NOTIFIED OF FLUID SEEPING FROM THE R WING; THIRD BOOST PUMP COVER; BY A DEPLANING PAX. WE NOTIFIED MAINT. MAINT PERFORMED A FLUID SEEPAGE CHK USING A DRY POWDER; WHICH WAS SPREAD UPON THE R WING AND ALLOWED TO SIT FOR APPROX 15 MINS TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF THE FUEL LEAK. THE FUEL SEEPAGE SPREAD TO AN AREA OF APPROX 2 INCHES AT ITS WIDEST POINT AFTER THE ALLOCATED AMOUNT OF TIME. THE MECHS TIGHTENED DOWN THE PHILIP HEAD SCREWS ON THE BOOST PUMP COVER. THE FUEL SEEPAGE WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN LIMITS AND ANNOTATED SO IN THE LOGBOOK. NO GUIDANCE WAS FOUND IN OUR MANUALS AND SINCE THE SEEPAGE WAS WITHIN MAINT MANUAL CRITERIA; WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT EVEN THOUGH A DEFERRAL PER THE MEL WAS NOT GIVEN. SINCE THIS ACFT ROUTING BEGAN AT ZZZ4 (SAME DATE AS DEP); IT IS MY BELIEF THAT IF OUR MAINT OVERNIGHT PROCS HAD NOT BEEN REDUCED IN THE LAST FEW YRS; MECHANICAL ITEMS SUCH AS THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE; DURING THE OVERNIGHT MAINT INSPECTIONS/CHKS AND NOT CONTINUED TO BE PASSED ALONG TO THE CREWS AND PAX OUT ON THE LINE. I WILL HEAVILY RECONSIDER MY OPTION TO CONTINUE UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE FUTURE DUE TO THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS THAT MAY BE PRESENT. WHO APPROVED SUCH A PROC; AND IS IT REALLY SAFE TO BE FLYING AROUND WITH ANY AMOUNT OF JET A SEEPING OUT UPON THE OUTER SURFACES OF A WING?

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.