Narrative:

I received a call from the [flight] crew identifying fluid accumulating on the tail skid of the aircraft. As I recall I posed the following questions to the crew to assist in determining the fluid type and determine if there exists an actual mechanical failure: 1) I asked them if the sump drain was leaking and they said no. 2) I asked them how fast the fluid was dripping and they reported slow drip. 3) I asked them if they flew through moisture and they said yes. 4) I asked them if they could identify the fluid and they did not feel comfortable touching an unknown substance. My decisions [were] based upon the responses received from the crew. Knowing the fuel sump was not leaking at the time the crew was present and directly looking at it; I fully believed that a combination of mostly water [and] residual aircraft fluids was the fluid they were witnessing on the tail skid and not a mechanical failure. I provided my summation to the crew. I then asked the crew if they felt comfortable* in continuing on with their reposition; as maintenance was going to be on site at their arrival destination. They replied 'absolutely not.' at this point I directed the crew to [phone] in their discrepancy. I grounded the aircraft.*(per maintenance manual 28-10-00; category 3 fuel leak: 'flight may be continued; at pilot's discretion; to base or service facility for repair prior to next flight.') the crew noted no active 'fuel' leaking and I utilized guidance set forth in the maintenance manual; which is three times more stringent than required for that situation. [I suggest] enhanced communications between crew and maintenance controllers. Possible solution might be to have crews sit with assistant chief pilots to better understand how the need for detailed information facilitates an accurate repair.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CE560 crew discovered fluid leaking from the aircraft's tail skid while at an out station and notified a mechanic; who grounded the aircraft because no one could determine what the fluid was.

Narrative: I received a call from the [flight] crew identifying fluid accumulating on the tail skid of the aircraft. As I recall I posed the following questions to the crew to assist in determining the fluid type and determine if there exists an actual mechanical failure: 1) I asked them if the sump drain was leaking and they said no. 2) I asked them how fast the fluid was dripping and they reported slow drip. 3) I asked them if they flew through moisture and they said yes. 4) I asked them if they could identify the fluid and they did not feel comfortable touching an unknown substance. My decisions [were] based upon the responses received from the crew. Knowing the fuel sump was not leaking at the time the crew was present and directly looking at it; I fully believed that a combination of mostly water [and] residual aircraft fluids was the fluid they were witnessing on the tail skid and not a mechanical failure. I provided my summation to the crew. I then asked the crew if they felt comfortable* in continuing on with their reposition; as Maintenance was going to be on site at their arrival destination. They replied 'absolutely not.' At this point I directed the crew to [phone] in their discrepancy. I grounded the aircraft.*(Per Maintenance manual 28-10-00; category 3 fuel leak: 'Flight may be continued; at pilot's discretion; to base or service facility for repair prior to next flight.') The crew noted no active 'fuel' leaking and I utilized guidance set forth in the Maintenance manual; which is three times more stringent than required for that situation. [I suggest] enhanced communications between crew and maintenance controllers. Possible solution might be to have crews sit with assistant chief pilots to better understand how the need for detailed information facilitates an accurate repair.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.