An MD80 after level out at FL330 crew declared an emergency and returned to the departure airport due to fuel leaking from upper right wing access panel.

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Attributes
ACN	693258
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	693258
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Shortly after leveloff at FL330; the flight attendant notified us that a passenger reported seeing fluid oozing from a cover on the right upper wing. There is no QRH checklist that would be appropriate for our problem but we checked the QRH anyway. The flight attendants confirmed that there was fluid oozing from the cover and they thought they could see the word 'pump' stenciled next to the cover. Based on the information from our flight attendants and the fact that all cockpit indications; including fuel gauges; were normal; I felt confident that we had a very small amount of fuel leaking from one of our fuel boost pump covers. We requested and received a clearance to turn around and although we were closer to ZZZ1 we decided; with the concurrence of maintenance; that it would be safe to continue onto ZZZ. We declared an emergency as a precaution and landed overweight (132100 pounds -- maximum gross landing weight is 130000 pounds). Made a normal landing with reduced sink rate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 AFTER LEVEL OUT AT FL330 CREW DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO THE DEP ARPT DUE TO FUEL LEAKING FROM UPPER R WING ACCESS PANEL.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER LEVELOFF AT FL330; THE FLT ATTENDANT NOTIFIED US THAT A PAX RPTED SEEING FLUID OOZING FROM A COVER ON THE R UPPER WING. THERE IS NO QRH CHKLIST THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR OUR PROB BUT WE CHKED THE QRH ANYWAY. THE FLT ATTENDANTS CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS FLUID OOZING FROM THE COVER AND THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD SEE THE WORD 'PUMP' STENCILED NEXT TO THE COVER. BASED ON THE INFO FROM OUR FLT ATTENDANTS AND THE FACT THAT ALL COCKPIT INDICATIONS; INCLUDING FUEL GAUGES; WERE NORMAL; I FELT CONFIDENT THAT WE HAD A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL LEAKING FROM ONE OF OUR FUEL BOOST PUMP COVERS. WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO TURN AROUND AND ALTHOUGH WE WERE CLOSER TO ZZZ1 WE DECIDED; WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF MAINT; THAT IT WOULD BE SAFE TO CONTINUE ONTO ZZZ. WE DECLARED AN EMER AS A PRECAUTION AND LANDED OVERWT (132100 LBS -- MAX GROSS LNDG WT IS 130000 LBS). MADE A NORMAL LNDG WITH REDUCED SINK RATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.