A B757 captain refused an aircraft during preflight. A fuel system anomaly that may have been a fuel...

Attributes
ACN	807819
Time
Date	200810
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
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 : 270 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	807819
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was doing preflight duties and received an email from a line captain who flew this aircraft earlier that day. In his message he advised me that fuel was either xfering out or leaking in flight. I discussed the situation and the dispatch items with my first officer and needed more information from dispatch and maintenance. I called and spoke with both and there was conflicting information regarding the issue with the fuel system. There were 4 prior write-ups regarding the fuel system. There was an issue with the fuel confign light as well. The destination WX is forecasted for '2 SM ovc 008 to 3/4 SM -sn br ovr 002.' both my first officer and I were uncomfortable with the situation and I expressed this to them both. I told them that we refused the airplane and the dispatcher gave me grief. He told me that I was causing a problem. I told him that I would submit an as soon as possible report immediately. I felt severe pressure to take this airplane by my dispatcher which is completely unacceptable.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CAPT REFUSED AN ACFT DURING PREFLT. A FUEL SYSTEM ANOMALY THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A FUEL LEAK OR UNCOMMANED FUEL TRANSFER WAS REPEATEDLY NOT ADDRESSED.

Narrative: I WAS DOING PREFLT DUTIES AND RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM A LINE CAPT WHO FLEW THIS ACFT EARLIER THAT DAY. IN HIS MESSAGE HE ADVISED ME THAT FUEL WAS EITHER XFERING OUT OR LEAKING IN FLT. I DISCUSSED THE SITUATION AND THE DISPATCH ITEMS WITH MY FO AND NEEDED MORE INFO FROM DISPATCH AND MAINT. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH BOTH AND THERE WAS CONFLICTING INFO REGARDING THE ISSUE WITH THE FUEL SYS. THERE WERE 4 PRIOR WRITE-UPS REGARDING THE FUEL SYS. THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL CONFIGN LIGHT AS WELL. THE DEST WX IS FORECASTED FOR '2 SM OVC 008 TO 3/4 SM -SN BR OVR 002.' BOTH MY FO AND I WERE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE SITUATION AND I EXPRESSED THIS TO THEM BOTH. I TOLD THEM THAT WE REFUSED THE AIRPLANE AND THE DISPATCHER GAVE ME GRIEF. HE TOLD ME THAT I WAS CAUSING A PROB. I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD SUBMIT AN ASAP RPT IMMEDIATELY. I FELT SEVERE PRESSURE TO TAKE THIS AIRPLANE BY MY DISPATCHER WHICH IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.

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.

A B757 captain refused an aircraft during preflight. A fuel system anomaly that may have been a fuel leak or uncommaned fuel transfer was repeatedly not addressed.