PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Avianca A332, Santa Cruz fuel leak, lost 17 tons!
Old 22nd Sep 2013, 05:10
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Machinbird
 
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If you look at the video, it seems that the size of the fuel cloud reduces considerably almost coincident with the wheel spin up smoke. Might just be the fuel pump slowing down as the engine is throttled back.

The fuel seems to be coming out over a broad area of the cowling, not just from an overboard line.

To land an aircraft with an active large scale fuel leak considerably raises the hazard. A leak of the size of this one must have been visible from the cabin once the ground was visible as a background.

Did they request a visual inspection by the crew in back? Did PNF go back for a look? Did they ask the tower what they were seeing? What did they do to isolate and identify the source of the leak?

The thought of an aircraft full of people standing on top of a rapidly spreading puddle of fuel scares the bejesus out of me and it should scare you too.

I think I'd do everything possible to get a big leak under control before landing.
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