Flight crew discovers hydraulic leak on walkaround.

Attributes
ACN	799013
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 9250 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	799013
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	799017
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During the preflight walkaround; I discovered a puddle of liquid on the ground just inboard of the left main gear. Looking up; I could see liquid dripping from the spot where the wing and trailing edge flaps meet the fuselage. It was continuously dripping; albeit slowly; but there were plenty of streaks on the fuselage from the leaks. I brought it to the attention of the captain who came down to take a look too. We determined that it was hydraulic fluid; in our opinions; and called maintenance. When the mechanic came out; he had us turn on the hydraulic pumps; lower the flaps and activate the spoilers. He determined that the actuator for the ground spoilers was cracked and was spraying out fluid. Had this gone undetected; this could have led to an abnormal/emergency situation in-flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW DISCOVERS HYDRAULIC LEAK ON WALKAROUND.

Narrative: DURING THE PREFLT WALKAROUND; I DISCOVERED A PUDDLE OF LIQUID ON THE GND JUST INBOARD OF THE L MAIN GEAR. LOOKING UP; I COULD SEE LIQUID DRIPPING FROM THE SPOT WHERE THE WING AND TRAILING EDGE FLAPS MEET THE FUSELAGE. IT WAS CONTINUOUSLY DRIPPING; ALBEIT SLOWLY; BUT THERE WERE PLENTY OF STREAKS ON THE FUSELAGE FROM THE LEAKS. I BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTN OF THE CAPT WHO CAME DOWN TO TAKE A LOOK TOO. WE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS HYD FLUID; IN OUR OPINIONS; AND CALLED MAINT. WHEN THE MECH CAME OUT; HE HAD US TURN ON THE HYD PUMPS; LOWER THE FLAPS AND ACTIVATE THE SPOILERS. HE DETERMINED THAT THE ACTUATOR FOR THE GND SPOILERS WAS CRACKED AND WAS SPRAYING OUT FLUID. HAD THIS GONE UNDETECTED; THIS COULD HAVE LED TO AN ABNORMAL/EMER SITUATION INFLT.

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.