Fuel Leaking From Wing

[AmericanFlyer]

American Airlines passengers film 'fuel pouring' out of plane wing | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2018/07/24/american-airlines-passengers-film-fuel-pouring-out-plane-wing.html)

[Chris Scott]

Hi AmericanFlyer,

Over fifteen hours and about 1300 views since you posted, so perhaps it's time to point out that the fuel is overflowing from the vent-surge tank, a not unusual phenomenon on most types of aircraft. The vent-surge tank on the A320, as on most aircraft, is outboard of the outer wing tank (the same on both wings). So when the a/c is parked on level ground it's the high point of the fuel system, because of the wing dihedral. The overflow may be caused by a high-level float switch failing to close when the tanks are being filled. It can also happen when the wing tanks have been filled up early morning in cool conditions, and subsequently the sun shines on the wings during a long delay, heating the fuel.

I don't remember seeing it happen on an A320. But speaking generally, once a surge tank starts discharging it can actually syphon fuel from the adjacent (outer) wing tank for a while. In the case of the BAC One-Eleven, on which the wing tip was just about within reach of the ground without steps, rocking the wing was a good way of interrupting the syphon and stopping it. I can't remember the recommended action on the A320.

[groundbum]

what makes this even more scary, for me as a passenger, is the overflowing fuel is landing ON the full size fuel bowser under the wing, running down it's side onto the ground. It's like a home made bomb! If that had gone up with one little spark there would have been a huge blast. If I'd been in the terminal I wouldn't have been filming, I'd have been rapidy moving many hundreds of metres away to the far side of the building!

G

[sTeamTraen]

what makes this even more scary, for me as a passenger, is the overflowing fuel is landing ON the full size fuel bowser under the wing, running down it's side onto the ground. It's like a home made bomb! If that had gone up with one little spark there would have been a huge blast. If I'd been in the terminal I wouldn't have been filming, I'd have been rapidy moving many hundreds of metres away to the far side of the building!
While this situation is certainly not optimal, remember that aviation fuel is kerosene, not gasoline. A single spark might very well not set fire to it. I still wouldn't advise smoking before you get to the designated area outside the terminal building, though.