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An MD88 flight continues flight to destination airport after a fuel leak is noted from an overwing panel by a maintenance qualified passenger on flight to hou, tx.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 562017 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200210 |
| Day | Tue |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hou.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel |
| Qualification | other |
| ASRS Report | 562017 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : pax 6 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft Chart Or Publication |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
| Situations | |
| Publication | PLT OP MANUAL MD88 |
Narrative:
Atl-hou called via company radio, requesting maintenance. I established a conference call with the maintenance coordinator. The captain stated they discovered some fuel seepage from an overwing panel. An a&P mechanic, who was a passenger on the flight, visually inspected the leak and advised the crew it was minor. With no noticeable fuel imbalance seen on the gauges, it was decided by the captain, maintenance coordinator and myself to have flight continue on to hou. After handling another unrelated call, I decided to check the pom for fuel leak procedure. The procedures were designed for engine failures due to fuel loss and require landing at nearest suitable airport. By this time, the aircraft was west of aex making its initial descent into hou. The flight landed without incident and upon inspection, found some panel screws loose causing this seepage and were tightened by maintenance personnel in hou. In retrospect, with strict adherence to the pom, the flight should have been diverted to inspect the affected panel.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD88 FLT CONTINUES FLT TO DEST ARPT AFTER A FUEL LEAK IS NOTED FROM AN OVERWING PANEL BY A MAINT QUALIFIED PAX ON FLT TO HOU, TX.
Narrative: ATL-HOU CALLED VIA COMPANY RADIO, REQUESTING MAINT. I ESTABLISHED A CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE MAINT COORDINATOR. THE CAPT STATED THEY DISCOVERED SOME FUEL SEEPAGE FROM AN OVERWING PANEL. AN A&P MECH, WHO WAS A PAX ON THE FLT, VISUALLY INSPECTED THE LEAK AND ADVISED THE CREW IT WAS MINOR. WITH NO NOTICEABLE FUEL IMBALANCE SEEN ON THE GAUGES, IT WAS DECIDED BY THE CAPT, MAINT COORDINATOR AND MYSELF TO HAVE FLT CONTINUE ON TO HOU. AFTER HANDLING ANOTHER UNRELATED CALL, I DECIDED TO CHK THE POM FOR FUEL LEAK PROC. THE PROCS WERE DESIGNED FOR ENG FAILURES DUE TO FUEL LOSS AND REQUIRE LNDG AT NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT. BY THIS TIME, THE ACFT WAS W OF AEX MAKING ITS INITIAL DSCNT INTO HOU. THE FLT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND UPON INSPECTION, FOUND SOME PANEL SCREWS LOOSE CAUSING THIS SEEPAGE AND WERE TIGHTENED BY MAINT PERSONNEL IN HOU. IN RETROSPECT, WITH STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE POM, THE FLT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DIVERTED TO INSPECT THE AFFECTED PANEL.
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.