B737-700 first officer found a brake leak on his walkaround inspection at the departure station.

Attributes
ACN	559396
Time
Date	200209
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 24000
ASRS Report	559396
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Dispatch/maintenance (brake area leak). I met aircraft for a crew change in phx. During my preflight walkaround, I noticed hydraulic fluid in the brake area. I brought it to the attention of maintenance and the captain. The captain and I discussed the potential problems of a brake leak and waited for maintenance to give us their assessment. It turned out to be a 'puck leak.' after several maintenance personnel looked at the brake, we all had a discussion about it. In the end, maintenance told us that it was an 'acceptable leak' and wasn't 'pooling.' we took the jet and landed in bwi. We brought it to maintenance in bwi and we were told that it probably should have been fixed in phx. Overall because of the location, I felt it was a potential safety hazard, but was convinced otherwise and accepted the jet. The captain and I talked afterwards and discussed how a better decision could have been made by all of us. I believe better education of maintenance personnel along with a better application of common sense by us pilots would have led to a better overall decision.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FO FOUND A BRAKE LEAK ON HIS WALKAROUND INSPECTION AT THE DEP STATION.

Narrative: DISPATCH/MAINT (BRAKE AREA LEAK). I MET ACFT FOR A CREW CHANGE IN PHX. DURING MY PREFLT WALKAROUND, I NOTICED HYD FLUID IN THE BRAKE AREA. I BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTN OF MAINT AND THE CAPT. THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THE POTENTIAL PROBS OF A BRAKE LEAK AND WAITED FOR MAINT TO GIVE US THEIR ASSESSMENT. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A 'PUCK LEAK.' AFTER SEVERAL MAINT PERSONNEL LOOKED AT THE BRAKE, WE ALL HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. IN THE END, MAINT TOLD US THAT IT WAS AN 'ACCEPTABLE LEAK' AND WASN'T 'POOLING.' WE TOOK THE JET AND LANDED IN BWI. WE BROUGHT IT TO MAINT IN BWI AND WE WERE TOLD THAT IT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED IN PHX. OVERALL BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION, I FELT IT WAS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD, BUT WAS CONVINCED OTHERWISE AND ACCEPTED THE JET. THE CAPT AND I TALKED AFTERWARDS AND DISCUSSED HOW A BETTER DECISION COULD HAVE BEEN MADE BY ALL OF US. I BELIEVE BETTER EDUCATION OF MAINT PERSONNEL ALONG WITH A BETTER APPLICATION OF COMMON SENSE BY US PLTS WOULD HAVE LED TO A BETTER OVERALL DECISION.

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.