Narrative:

After takeoff, the tower reported an MD80 observed 'white smoke' coming from the right engine. My first officer and I observed normal readings on both engines. We elected to continue the climb while monitoring the engine readings closely. Upon reaching cruise altitude of FL310, I observed the right fuel quantity was 1000 pounds lower than the left. The fuel was balanced within 100 pounds at takeoff. We confirmed a fuel leak somewhere in the right wing/engine system by performing the in-flight fuel leak checklist. We notified ATC of our emergency and requested vectors back to sdf. We were cleared direct and descended to FL290. After allowing the right engine to cool at idle for several mins, we shut it down per the checklist. The imbal had reached 1300 pounds. At this point we were still about 20 mi closer to stl than sdf, but we had 90 KT headwinds if we elected to go to stl and 90 KT tailwinds toward sdf. Further, having just departed sdf, I knew the WX was good (VFR) and I am very familiar with all the approachs into sdf. It has been several yrs since I have operated into stl. I feel, under these circumstances, sdf was the most suitable airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: captain reports the engine fuel control had just been replaced for time. The new fuel control had a stripped fitting on a fuel control fuel line. This allowed fuel to leak from a high pressure fuel line into the cowling. This is the white vapor that the MD80 crew saw. After the fuel control replacement, maintenance only ran the engine at idle. The fuel line pressure was not sufficient to have the fuel line leak. The newly replaced fuel control was replaced yet again, and was found ok.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-200 CREW HAD INDICATIONS OF A FUEL LEAK IN THE R FUEL SYS. THE #2 ENG WAS SHUT DOWN AND THE ACFT RETURNED TO THE DEP STATION.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, THE TWR RPTED AN MD80 OBSERVED 'WHITE SMOKE' COMING FROM THE R ENG. MY FO AND I OBSERVED NORMAL READINGS ON BOTH ENGS. WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE CLB WHILE MONITORING THE ENG READINGS CLOSELY. UPON REACHING CRUISE ALT OF FL310, I OBSERVED THE R FUEL QUANTITY WAS 1000 LBS LOWER THAN THE L. THE FUEL WAS BALANCED WITHIN 100 LBS AT TKOF. WE CONFIRMED A FUEL LEAK SOMEWHERE IN THE R WING/ENG SYS BY PERFORMING THE INFLT FUEL LEAK CHKLIST. WE NOTIFIED ATC OF OUR EMER AND REQUESTED VECTORS BACK TO SDF. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT AND DSNDED TO FL290. AFTER ALLOWING THE R ENG TO COOL AT IDLE FOR SEVERAL MINS, WE SHUT IT DOWN PER THE CHKLIST. THE IMBAL HAD REACHED 1300 LBS. AT THIS POINT WE WERE STILL ABOUT 20 MI CLOSER TO STL THAN SDF, BUT WE HAD 90 KT HEADWINDS IF WE ELECTED TO GO TO STL AND 90 KT TAILWINDS TOWARD SDF. FURTHER, HAVING JUST DEPARTED SDF, I KNEW THE WX WAS GOOD (VFR) AND I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE APCHS INTO SDF. IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL YRS SINCE I HAVE OPERATED INTO STL. I FEEL, UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, SDF WAS THE MOST SUITABLE ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CAPT RPTS THE ENG FUEL CTL HAD JUST BEEN REPLACED FOR TIME. THE NEW FUEL CTL HAD A STRIPPED FITTING ON A FUEL CTL FUEL LINE. THIS ALLOWED FUEL TO LEAK FROM A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE INTO THE COWLING. THIS IS THE WHITE VAPOR THAT THE MD80 CREW SAW. AFTER THE FUEL CTL REPLACEMENT, MAINT ONLY RAN THE ENG AT IDLE. THE FUEL LINE PRESSURE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO HAVE THE FUEL LINE LEAK. THE NEWLY REPLACED FUEL CTL WAS REPLACED YET AGAIN, AND WAS FOUND OK.

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.