Narrative:

I arrived to preflight the aircraft 1 hour 30 mins prior to departure. Everything appeared normal except that one of the lavatories was MEL'ed inoperative. Just prior to pushback, the FAA informed the crew of a 'blue water leak.' I went down to the ramp and agreed a leak had occurred since my preflight. Maintenance was advised. When that had been written up, attended to and signed off, the FAA inspector told the captain there was a fuel leak. There was no evidence of a leak on my preflight, but the fueling was not complete during my preflight. I was instructed to stay in the cockpit while the captain went out to check out the 'fuel leak.' he said he did not see evidence of a leak and felt that this inspector was simply trying to delay the flight. The inspector grounded the airplane. We swapped planes for the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10 DURING PREFLT CHK WAS GNDED BY AN FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR FOR A FUEL LEAK DISPUTED BY THE CREW AS THE INSPECTOR'S IMAGINATION.

Narrative: I ARRIVED TO PREFLT THE ACFT 1 HR 30 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL EXCEPT THAT ONE OF THE LAVATORIES WAS MEL'ED INOP. JUST PRIOR TO PUSHBACK, THE FAA INFORMED THE CREW OF A 'BLUE WATER LEAK.' I WENT DOWN TO THE RAMP AND AGREED A LEAK HAD OCCURRED SINCE MY PREFLT. MAINT WAS ADVISED. WHEN THAT HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP, ATTENDED TO AND SIGNED OFF, THE FAA INSPECTOR TOLD THE CAPT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A LEAK ON MY PREFLT, BUT THE FUELING WAS NOT COMPLETE DURING MY PREFLT. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO STAY IN THE COCKPIT WHILE THE CAPT WENT OUT TO CHK OUT THE 'FUEL LEAK.' HE SAID HE DID NOT SEE EVIDENCE OF A LEAK AND FELT THAT THIS INSPECTOR WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO DELAY THE FLT. THE INSPECTOR GNDED THE AIRPLANE. WE SWAPPED PLANES FOR THE FLT.

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.