Fuel leak of medium large transport air carrier aircraft on final caused tower to report smoke from the aircraft resulting in emergency ground equipment to meet aircraft after landing.

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Attributes
ACN	238983
Time
Date	199303
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx tower : san
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	238983
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Noticed higher than normal fuel consumption at cruise altitude. Was feeding all fuel out of tank #2. Departed with all tanks topped off. Went to tank to engine. Determined #2 tank was being depleted more quickly than 1 or 3. All engine parameters normal. Continued to destination. Upon contacting tower, they stated it looked like smoke coming out of engine #2. No fire warn no abnormal engine gauge reading. Called for fire equipment. Upon landing, taxied off active, shut down engine #2, pulled away from other aircraft/buildings. No fire. Taxied to gate after lengthy delay due to not being able to talk to fire equipment from cockpit. Upon shutdown maintenance found fuel control seal broken. The 'smoke' was fuel vaporizing and running under engine cowling. Should have throttled back and maybe shut down #2 engine to be sure fuel leak was stopped. Low fuel was not a problem since we topped off at departure airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL LEAK OF MLG ACR ACFT ON FINAL CAUSED TWR TO RPT SMOKE FROM THE ACFT RESULTING IN EMER GND EQUIP TO MEET ACFT AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: NOTICED HIGHER THAN NORMAL FUEL CONSUMPTION AT CRUISE ALT. WAS FEEDING ALL FUEL OUT OF TANK #2. DEPARTED WITH ALL TANKS TOPPED OFF. WENT TO TANK TO ENG. DETERMINED #2 TANK WAS BEING DEPLETED MORE QUICKLY THAN 1 OR 3. ALL ENG PARAMETERS NORMAL. CONTINUED TO DEST. UPON CONTACTING TWR, THEY STATED IT LOOKED LIKE SMOKE COMING OUT OF ENG #2. NO FIRE WARN NO ABNORMAL ENG GAUGE READING. CALLED FOR FIRE EQUIP. UPON LNDG, TAXIED OFF ACTIVE, SHUT DOWN ENG #2, PULLED AWAY FROM OTHER ACFT/BUILDINGS. NO FIRE. TAXIED TO GATE AFTER LENGTHY DELAY DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO TALK TO FIRE EQUIP FROM COCKPIT. UPON SHUTDOWN MAINT FOUND FUEL CTL SEAL BROKEN. THE 'SMOKE' WAS FUEL VAPORIZING AND RUNNING UNDER ENG COWLING. SHOULD HAVE THROTTLED BACK AND MAYBE SHUT DOWN #2 ENG TO BE SURE FUEL LEAK WAS STOPPED. LOW FUEL WAS NOT A PROB SINCE WE TOPPED OFF AT DEP ARPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.