Incident Overview
During post-landing taxi, the pilot of an aircraft heard a loud report, described as an explosion, emanating from the right wing. The pilot immediately evacuated the aircraft and discovered that the skin had separated from both the top and bottom leading edge of the right wing.
Evidence of Fuel Leak
Subsequent examination revealed soot around the wing drain hole for the leading edge cavity. Investigators found evidence that fuel had leaked into the cavity from an improperly installed fuel vent. The presence of fuel in the cavity and the soot suggest that an explosion occurred within the leading edge, causing the skin separation.
Findings
The investigation determined that the improper installation of the fuel vent allowed fuel to enter the leading edge cavity. No other causal factors were identified.