Date: 201312
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: TYS.Airport, TN
Aircraft: EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Aircraft component: Engine Driven Pump
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Other / Unknown
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Pre-flight
Result: General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Company Policy; Procedure
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: Preflight inspection evidenced engine 2 leaking fuel; approximately one drop per 2 seconds and puddle on ground approximately 3x3 FT. Crew contacted Maintenance Control through Dispatch and they dispatched contract maintenance to inspect fuel leak. Crew notified company operations Safety Manager of the fuel spill and personnel applied absorbent pads on fuel spill per airport operations. Contract Mechanic arrived and was directed by Maintenance Control via cell phone to start engine with the flight crew assistance. Contract Mechanic stated the fuel leak was great and suggested fire extinguishers or airport CFR equipment during engine run. Captain asked Maintenance Control for a fuel leak procedure. Nobody knew if the engine should be run with engine cowl open; for how long; or how to determine leak exceedance. Maintenance Control and Chief Pilot refused to supply contract mechanic or flight crew with any written procedures. Maintenance Control stated FAA is not going to care about our procedures. Maintenance Control stated he just needs the damn engine started and then said the company will find an alternate flight crew to start the engines; at which point Chief Pilot agreed and they both hung up. Chief Pilot called back and gave Captain a direct verbal order to start the engine even though the engine was still leaking fuel and even though neither the flight crew nor contract mechanic had been provided with any procedures as per 14 CFR 121.379. The Chief Pilot threatened to initiate insubordination procedures against the Captain. Captain received a fax of engine Maintenance Manual limitations; but no procedures as to engine fuel leaks. Contract mechanic agreed to troubleshoot engine fuel leak without CFR and agreed to troubleshoot engine fuel leak via verbal guidance from Maintenance Control. Crew performed Engine 2 start and monitored idling engine under the direction of contract mechanic for 6 minutes and shut down Engine 2 when directed by contract mechanic. Contract mechanic informed crew that the engine start caused more fuel to leak out of the engine and after the engine was shut down; the engine fuel leak did not stop. However; Maintenance Control wanted crew to start up the engine again now for 7 minutes. Maintenance Control would not provide crew or contract mechanic with where he was getting this new procedure of running the engine again for 7 minutes after the first test run for 6 minutes failed to reduce the engine fuel leak within limits or stop the engine fuel leak. Contract mechanic suspected an inoperative fuel pump seal and flight was cancelled awaiting parts to fix leak.




Synopsis: EMB-145 Captain reports discovering a fuel leak during preflight which is reported to Maintenance Control. Maintenance Control wants the engine run while a Contract Mechanic observes the leak; which the crew resists. The engine is eventually run with inconclusive results. Maintenance Control requests a second run which the crew declines and the flight is canceled.