Narrative:

Captain performed the walk-around and noted what appeared to be a hydraulic fluid leak coming from the left horizontal stabilizer. Maintenance release was sent; operations was notified; and a maintenance release receipt came up on printer with a time stamp of xa:19Z. After about 15 minutes; first officer called operations to ask if maintenance had been to aircraft yet; because we hadn't seen or spoken to any contract maintenance personnel as of that time. At xa:38Z; contract maintenance technician arrived at cockpit (I know this was when he was there because a new maintenance release had started rolling out of the printer while he was there) and told captain and first officer that 'everything was ok.' when we asked [the] mechanic about the source of the leak and the number of drips per minute; he reported that he had not seen any leaks. He then pulled up the hydraulic page on the ECAM display to check the hydraulic fluid quantities (it must be noted that the maintenance release was already printing at the time that the mechanic was checking the hydraulic quantity for the first time). The mechanic then left cockpit and was followed by the captain out the jetway door. First officer stayed behind to read the maintenance release that had finished printing and saw that the hydraulic leak had been signed off and a new validated maintenance release had been issued before the mechanic had ever seen the hydraulic leak or seen the hydraulic page on the ECAM display. First officer then followed the captain and maintenance technician outside to look at the spot were the captain had seen fluid on aircraft. First officer immediately spotted hydraulic fluid leak coming from junction of horizontal stabilizer and fuselage; fluid streaks leading to lower section of fuselage; a fluid drop hanging from fuselage at the termination point of the fluid streaks; and at least 8 fluid spots from drips on the ground directly under the hanging fluid drop. First officer then returned to cockpit to get a camera and took pictures. Later; the captain told first officer that [the] mechanic said that he had been looking at the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer for a fluid leak. Captain then called maintenance control and reported that leak was not properly inspected prior to maintenance release being sent. Maintenance control issued new log item (time stamped xa:48Z) and hydraulic leak was properly checked by maintenance prior to our departure. It seems as if this entire issue would have been averted if the mechanic had simply asked the captain and/or first officer to show him were the fluid leak was prior to signing it off and sending a new maintenance release.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An A320 crew discovered a hydraulic leak during preflight at an out station and after reporting it to Maintenance they received a Maintenance release; clearing the aircraft. However; the Mechanic had not looked at the leak before clearing it.

Narrative: Captain performed the walk-around and noted what appeared to be a hydraulic fluid leak coming from the left horizontal stabilizer. Maintenance release was sent; Operations was notified; and a Maintenance release receipt came up on printer with a time stamp of XA:19Z. After about 15 minutes; First Officer called Operations to ask if Maintenance had been to aircraft yet; because we hadn't seen or spoken to any Contract Maintenance personnel as of that time. At XA:38Z; Contract Maintenance Technician arrived at cockpit (I know this was when he was there because a new Maintenance release had started rolling out of the printer while he was there) and told Captain and First Officer that 'everything was ok.' When we asked [the] Mechanic about the source of the leak and the number of drips per minute; he reported that he had not seen any leaks. He then pulled up the HYD page on the ECAM display to check the hydraulic fluid quantities (it must be noted that the Maintenance release was already printing at the time that the Mechanic was checking the hydraulic quantity for the first time). The Mechanic then left cockpit and was followed by the Captain out the jetway door. First Officer stayed behind to read the Maintenance release that had finished printing and saw that the hydraulic leak had been signed off and a new validated Maintenance release had been issued before the Mechanic had ever seen the hydraulic leak or seen the HYD page on the ECAM display. First Officer then followed the Captain and Maintenance Technician outside to look at the spot were the Captain had seen fluid on aircraft. First Officer immediately spotted hydraulic fluid leak coming from junction of horizontal stabilizer and fuselage; fluid streaks leading to lower section of fuselage; a fluid drop hanging from fuselage at the termination point of the fluid streaks; and at least 8 fluid spots from drips on the ground directly under the hanging fluid drop. First Officer then returned to cockpit to get a camera and took pictures. Later; the Captain told First Officer that [the] Mechanic said that he had been looking at the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer for a fluid leak. Captain then called Maintenance Control and reported that leak was not properly inspected prior to Maintenance release being sent. Maintenance Control issued new log item (time stamped XA:48Z) and hydraulic leak was properly checked by Maintenance prior to our departure. It seems as if this entire issue would have been averted if the Mechanic had simply asked the Captain and/or First Officer to show him were the fluid leak was prior to signing it off and sending a new Maintenance release.

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.