Narrative:

We were flying air carrier from gfk to msp on jun/wed/96. While still parked at the gate, the station agent came up to the cockpit and said they were stopping passenger boarding due to a fuel spill. He asked the captain if the passenger on board should be evacuate/evacuationed. Captain said no, and turned off the APU so we could use external power. The fire department was called out and both the captain and I went outside to verify that the spill was being cleaned up, etc. We obtained a new release from dispatch as we now had about 1000 pounds extra fuel. We departed gfk for msp and flight was uneventful. Upon landing captain decided to write up the incident in the maintenance logbook thinking that if maintenance could check the automatic shutoff system for fueling, perhaps another incident like this would be prevented. Upon contacting maintenance control we learned that we never should have departed gfk without first consulting them. We were told that they would have to file a report concerning this whole event. Neither of us were aware that we should have consulted with maintenance prior to departing after the fuel spill. The fire department handled their portion well, we had extra fuel on board, obtained the new release necessary, and consequently departed. I know now that if this ever occurs again, we won't move the airplane without talking to maintenance.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG FAILED TO WRITE UP FUEL SPILL PARKED AT THE GATE AND OBTAIN MAINT RELEASE PRIOR TO FLT.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING ACR FROM GFK TO MSP ON JUN/WED/96. WHILE STILL PARKED AT THE GATE, THE STATION AGENT CAME UP TO THE COCKPIT AND SAID THEY WERE STOPPING PAX BOARDING DUE TO A FUEL SPILL. HE ASKED THE CAPT IF THE PAX ON BOARD SHOULD BE EVACED. CAPT SAID NO, AND TURNED OFF THE APU SO WE COULD USE EXTERNAL PWR. THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED OUT AND BOTH THE CAPT AND I WENT OUTSIDE TO VERIFY THAT THE SPILL WAS BEING CLEANED UP, ETC. WE OBTAINED A NEW RELEASE FROM DISPATCH AS WE NOW HAD ABOUT 1000 LBS EXTRA FUEL. WE DEPARTED GFK FOR MSP AND FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. UPON LNDG CAPT DECIDED TO WRITE UP THE INCIDENT IN THE MAINT LOGBOOK THINKING THAT IF MAINT COULD CHK THE AUTOMATIC SHUTOFF SYS FOR FUELING, PERHAPS ANOTHER INCIDENT LIKE THIS WOULD BE PREVENTED. UPON CONTACTING MAINT CTL WE LEARNED THAT WE NEVER SHOULD HAVE DEPARTED GFK WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING THEM. WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO FILE A RPT CONCERNING THIS WHOLE EVENT. NEITHER OF US WERE AWARE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE CONSULTED WITH MAINT PRIOR TO DEPARTING AFTER THE FUEL SPILL. THE FIRE DEPT HANDLED THEIR PORTION WELL, WE HAD EXTRA FUEL ON BOARD, OBTAINED THE NEW RELEASE NECESSARY, AND CONSEQUENTLY DEPARTED. I KNOW NOW THAT IF THIS EVER OCCURS AGAIN, WE WON'T MOVE THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT TALKING TO MAINT.

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.