A DC9-10 was reported to have fuel venting from the right wingtip. Fuel in left tank 9100 pounds and...

Attributes
ACN	588382
Time
Date	200307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : m98.tracon artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 10
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	588382
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel quantity ind system other other : person 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We were air carrier X to ZZZZ. Normal preflight, start, taxi. After takeoff, we turned north on vectors to the SID. As we passed 3500 ft MSL, lead flight attendant informed us over interphone that a passenger reported liquid (fuel) venting from right wingtip. Fuel was 9200 pounds per each wing and 800 pounds in center tank at takeoff. When venting was reported, fuel was 9100 pounds left wing, 0 pounds in center, and 8300 pounds in right wing. Center pumps were turned off and venting rptedly stopped after that. Lead flight attendant told us that the passenger was a pilot and he flew the B757 for a foreign company. He even drew us a picture of the right wingtip that describes the fuel and vapor coming from the right wingtip area. Aircraft was xferred to the first officer at this point. Since the aircraft had a recent history of fuel problems and the passenger and flight attendant's observation were very credible, I called dispatch and maintenance control while the first officer worked on getting us a clearance back to ZZZ instead of going on to ZZZZ. Dispatch and maintenance concurred with decision to return. We balanced the main fuel tank quantities, then returned to ZZZ for an uneventful landing. I spoke with the observing pilot after the flight reverified what he observed and thanked him for his alert assistance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-10 WAS RPTED TO HAVE FUEL VENTING FROM THE R WINGTIP. FUEL IN L TANK 9100 LBS AND R WING 8300 LBS. CTR TANK PUMPS OFF VENTING STOPPED.

Narrative: WE WERE ACR X TO ZZZZ. NORMAL PREFLT, START, TAXI. AFTER TKOF, WE TURNED N ON VECTORS TO THE SID. AS WE PASSED 3500 FT MSL, LEAD FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED US OVER INTERPHONE THAT A PAX RPTED LIQUID (FUEL) VENTING FROM R WINGTIP. FUEL WAS 9200 LBS PER EACH WING AND 800 LBS IN CTR TANK AT TKOF. WHEN VENTING WAS RPTED, FUEL WAS 9100 LBS L WING, 0 LBS IN CTR, AND 8300 LBS IN R WING. CTR PUMPS WERE TURNED OFF AND VENTING RPTEDLY STOPPED AFTER THAT. LEAD FLT ATTENDANT TOLD US THAT THE PAX WAS A PLT AND HE FLEW THE B757 FOR A FOREIGN COMPANY. HE EVEN DREW US A PICTURE OF THE R WINGTIP THAT DESCRIBES THE FUEL AND VAPOR COMING FROM THE R WINGTIP AREA. ACFT WAS XFERRED TO THE FO AT THIS POINT. SINCE THE ACFT HAD A RECENT HISTORY OF FUEL PROBS AND THE PAX AND FLT ATTENDANT'S OBSERVATION WERE VERY CREDIBLE, I CALLED DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL WHILE THE FO WORKED ON GETTING US A CLRNC BACK TO ZZZ INSTEAD OF GOING ON TO ZZZZ. DISPATCH AND MAINT CONCURRED WITH DECISION TO RETURN. WE BALANCED THE MAIN FUEL TANK QUANTITIES, THEN RETURNED TO ZZZ FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. I SPOKE WITH THE OBSERVING PLT AFTER THE FLT REVERIFIED WHAT HE OBSERVED AND THANKED HIM FOR HIS ALERT ASSISTANCE.

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.

A DC9-10 was reported to have fuel venting from the right wingtip. Fuel in left tank 9100 pounds and right wing 8300 pounds. Center tank pumps off venting stopped.