Oil leak? What to do?

[Nihontraveller]

This is a question, or rather a request for comments, to any 737 pilots out there.

I fly a lot as a passenger, enough to know what should normally happen on a flight and what should not happen. Anyway a few weeks ago I was on a Westjet flight from Vancouver to Calgary in an older 737 (the one with the older engines -300 I think). I was sitting in a window seat alongside the starboard engine. After take off I noticed a steady stream of yellow fluid running out from under the engine covers and streaming backwards along the engine to the thrust reverser mechanism where all was wet with it. The flow was such that I could see the ripples in it from the windspeed and it was flowing out of at least 30% of the visible engine cover joins. As we climbed and accelerated the flow seemed to reduce, when we descended it was back. I told the stewardess about it, she took a look and told me it was "normal" but she would inform the Captain anyway. I don't know if she did or not. I never heard any more about it. I just sat and watched the yellow stream all the way to Calgary wondering if at any minute the engine would seize due to lack of oil. Normal landing at Calgary followed whereupon there was no oil flow and only a very faint yellow stain to show where it had been.

Anyway what I am interested to know is that this is not normal, right? Was I right to bring it to the attention of the stewardess, was it something potentially serious or was I worrying about nothing?

Any comments welcome.

[CessnaEng]

Very common on the -200 series with the long thin engines (JT8)

[Miserlou]

But you were very right to bring it to the attention of the crew!

We always send a cockpit crew member to look unless the cabin crew know exactly what the situation is.

[BOAC]

Nihon - as MIserlou says - please DO let someone know. Your input may not ALWAYS be welcome depending on the psyche of the crew, but it is right to do so if you are concerned.

I recall a DC3 flight a few decades back where I told the ageing Captain that there was oil seeping out of the rivet line on No2 engine.

"**** good, he said - that shows there is oil in the ba***d"

Still - I felt better!:O

FYI, oil consumption is monitored on jet a/c, and the uplifts show how much is going. There are limits in the maintenance books and crews should not depart with less than a certain amount, remembering the length of the flight, of course!