B737 captain reports fuel spill at the gate that he learns of after the fact.

Attributes
ACN	791311
Time
Date	200806
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time type : 146
ASRS Report	791311
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

We were sitting at the gate; plane was almost fully loaded and maintenance was working a problem with the aircraft when we (the flight deck crew) noticed that a fire truck pulled up between the adjacent gates. We could not see what the fire truck was doing because of the jetway but we thought it was pulling up for the other aircraft. We did not think anything about it but saw a lot of water on the ramp. We found out later that we had a large fuel spill they said about 80+ gallons. Operations knew of the fuel spill; the ramper(south) knew of the fuel spill; the ground operations supervisor knew of the fuel spill but no one told the flight crew. No one. Wouldn't it be nice if it was reported to the flight crew so they could answer any questions from the flight cabin crew or passenger. I think there is a real problem here at our company and it is systemic. What if a passenger panicked and opened an overwing exit because of what they saw. There should be a proper procedure in place to avoid such uncertainty and the flight crew should be in the loop. Procedure; procedure; procedure. Get one in place and use it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT REPORTS FUEL SPILL AT THE GATE THAT HE LEARNS OF AFTER THE FACT.

Narrative: WE WERE SITTING AT THE GATE; PLANE WAS ALMOST FULLY LOADED AND MAINT WAS WORKING A PROB WITH THE ACFT WHEN WE (THE FLT DECK CREW) NOTICED THAT A FIRE TRUCK PULLED UP BTWN THE ADJACENT GATES. WE COULD NOT SEE WHAT THE FIRE TRUCK WAS DOING BECAUSE OF THE JETWAY BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS PULLING UP FOR THE OTHER ACFT. WE DID NOT THINK ANYTHING ABOUT IT BUT SAW A LOT OF WATER ON THE RAMP. WE FOUND OUT LATER THAT WE HAD A LARGE FUEL SPILL THEY SAID ABOUT 80+ GALLONS. OPS KNEW OF THE FUEL SPILL; THE RAMPER(S) KNEW OF THE FUEL SPILL; THE GND OPS SUPVR KNEW OF THE FUEL SPILL BUT NO ONE TOLD THE FLT CREW. NO ONE. WOULDN'T IT BE NICE IF IT WAS RPTED TO THE FLT CREW SO THEY COULD ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FLT CABIN CREW OR PAX. I THINK THERE IS A REAL PROB HERE AT OUR COMPANY AND IT IS SYSTEMIC. WHAT IF A PAX PANICKED AND OPENED AN OVERWING EXIT BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY SAW. THERE SHOULD BE A PROPER PROC IN PLACE TO AVOID SUCH UNCERTAINTY AND THE FLT CREW SHOULD BE IN THE LOOP. PROC; PROC; PROC. GET ONE IN PLACE AND USE IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.