Narrative:

Approximately 1 min after completing #2 engine start; we received a call from the purser stating that a passenger on the right side of the aircraft reported seeing fuel leaking out from the right wing. I turned to look out the window and saw a steady stream of fuel (I would estimate a gallon every 5 seconds) streaming out of what appeared to be the outboard wing vent location (the round hole with the black rubber membrane inside of it). I notified the captain; who brought the aircraft to a stop and he commanded to shut down engine #2. Ramp was informed of the situation and our current position (facing south on taxiway E3 approximately 200 ft short of taxiway F). As the APU was still available from just having selected the APU master switch to the 'off' position; the captain selected the APU master switch back to 'on' and commanded engine #1 shutdown as well. With both engines shut down; we made a quick announcement to the passenger; informed ramp control of our intentions not to emergency egress the aircraft; and completed aircraft shutdown procedures and the parking checklist. Flaps were left in position #2 as we now no longer had hydraulic pressure on the aircraft. The fire crews responded; communications established and the decision was made to deplane the passenger back to the terminal. Passenger were deplaned in a timely; orderly manner and once the fire crews were satisfied that the fuel had stopped leaking out of the wing vent (I would estimate 12-15 mins from the initial report); maintenance was allowed to tow the aircraft to a remote pad location. The flight attendants had elected to remain on board the aircraft following passenger disembarkation. Maintenance had requested that the flight crew remain on board until they had towed to aircraft to the secured location. Upon exiting the aircraft; maintenance personnel asked us if we had written an mrm regarding the fuel leak. We confessed that with all that had been going on with safe guarding the passenger; securing the aircraft; coordinating with fire crews; ramp control; and maintenance personnel; that we had neglected to do so. They stated that they would take care of it and we thanked them for their help and professionalism in dealing with the situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ADVISED OF A SIGNIFICANT FUEL LEAK BY A PAX; FLT CREW OF A319 SHUTS DOWN ON THE RAMP; DEPLANES PAX AFTER INSPECTION BY CFR CREWS.

Narrative: APPROX 1 MIN AFTER COMPLETING #2 ENG START; WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE PURSER STATING THAT A PAX ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT RPTED SEEING FUEL LEAKING OUT FROM THE R WING. I TURNED TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW A STEADY STREAM OF FUEL (I WOULD ESTIMATE A GALLON EVERY 5 SECONDS) STREAMING OUT OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE OUTBOARD WING VENT LOCATION (THE ROUND HOLE WITH THE BLACK RUBBER MEMBRANE INSIDE OF IT). I NOTIFIED THE CAPT; WHO BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A STOP AND HE COMMANDED TO SHUT DOWN ENG #2. RAMP WAS INFORMED OF THE SITUATION AND OUR CURRENT POS (FACING S ON TXWY E3 APPROX 200 FT SHORT OF TXWY F). AS THE APU WAS STILL AVAILABLE FROM JUST HAVING SELECTED THE APU MASTER SWITCH TO THE 'OFF' POS; THE CAPT SELECTED THE APU MASTER SWITCH BACK TO 'ON' AND COMMANDED ENG #1 SHUTDOWN AS WELL. WITH BOTH ENGS SHUT DOWN; WE MADE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX; INFORMED RAMP CTL OF OUR INTENTIONS NOT TO EMER EGRESS THE ACFT; AND COMPLETED ACFT SHUTDOWN PROCS AND THE PARKING CHKLIST. FLAPS WERE LEFT IN POS #2 AS WE NOW NO LONGER HAD HYD PRESSURE ON THE ACFT. THE FIRE CREWS RESPONDED; COMS ESTABLISHED AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DEPLANE THE PAX BACK TO THE TERMINAL. PAX WERE DEPLANED IN A TIMELY; ORDERLY MANNER AND ONCE THE FIRE CREWS WERE SATISFIED THAT THE FUEL HAD STOPPED LEAKING OUT OF THE WING VENT (I WOULD ESTIMATE 12-15 MINS FROM THE INITIAL RPT); MAINT WAS ALLOWED TO TOW THE ACFT TO A REMOTE PAD LOCATION. THE FLT ATTENDANTS HAD ELECTED TO REMAIN ON BOARD THE ACFT FOLLOWING PAX DISEMBARKATION. MAINT HAD REQUESTED THAT THE FLT CREW REMAIN ON BOARD UNTIL THEY HAD TOWED TO ACFT TO THE SECURED LOCATION. UPON EXITING THE ACFT; MAINT PERSONNEL ASKED US IF WE HAD WRITTEN AN MRM REGARDING THE FUEL LEAK. WE CONFESSED THAT WITH ALL THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON WITH SAFE GUARDING THE PAX; SECURING THE ACFT; COORDINATING WITH FIRE CREWS; RAMP CTL; AND MAINT PERSONNEL; THAT WE HAD NEGLECTED TO DO SO. THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT AND WE THANKED THEM FOR THEIR HELP AND PROFESSIONALISM IN DEALING WITH THE SITUATION.

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.