After mechanic completed an overnight service check on an md-80; an FAA inspector notices fuel seepa...

Attributes
ACN	802416
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	802416
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : company check pilot observation : air carrier inspector other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel leak - wing other other : 2
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Fuel seepage noticed by FAA following a check earlier that night while it was being fueled. No puddle or dripping was present at time of finding. No fuel seepage was noticed at the time when the check was being done. Contributing factors: evidence of fuel seepage at l-hand wing rear spar forward of #3 flap fairing when it was being fueled at XA30. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the FAA noticed the lower wing surface was 'wet' and the flaps were then lowered to backtrack where the fuel was coming from. Reporter stated the fuel seepage seemed to be coming from the left engine fire shut-off valve area. The md-80 was then taken out of service and towed to the hangar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER MECHANIC COMPLETED AN OVERNIGHT SERVICE CHECK ON AN MD-80; AN FAA INSPECTOR NOTICES FUEL SEEPAGE DURING PREFLIGHT FUELING; AT THE LEFT HAND WING REAR SPAR; FORWARD OF THE #3 FLAP FAIRING.

Narrative: FUEL SEEPAGE NOTICED BY FAA FOLLOWING A CHK EARLIER THAT NIGHT WHILE IT WAS BEING FUELED. NO PUDDLE OR DRIPPING WAS PRESENT AT TIME OF FINDING. NO FUEL SEEPAGE WAS NOTICED AT THE TIME WHEN THE CHK WAS BEING DONE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: EVIDENCE OF FUEL SEEPAGE AT L-HAND WING REAR SPAR FORWARD OF #3 FLAP FAIRING WHEN IT WAS BEING FUELED AT XA30. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE FAA NOTICED THE LOWER WING SURFACE WAS 'WET' AND THE FLAPS WERE THEN LOWERED TO BACKTRACK WHERE THE FUEL WAS COMING FROM. REPORTER STATED THE FUEL SEEPAGE SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM THE LEFT ENGINE FIRE SHUT-OFF VALVE AREA. THE MD-80 WAS THEN TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE AND TOWED TO THE HANGAR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

After mechanic completed an overnight service check on an md-80; an FAA inspector notices fuel seepage during preflight fueling; at the left hand wing rear spar; forward of the #3 flap fairing.