A DC10 FLC DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED AFTER THEY DISCOVERED UNCOMMANDED FUEL DUMPING THROUGH THE L WING DUMP NOZZLE. FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOTIFIED AND NORMAL FUEL DUMPING PROC WERE FOLLOWED TO COMPLY WITH MAX LNDG WT.
Synopsis
A DC10 FLC DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED AFTER THEY DISCOVERED UNCOMMANDED FUEL DUMPING THROUGH THE L WING DUMP NOZZLE. FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOTIFIED AND NORMAL FUEL DUMPING PROC WERE FOLLOWED TO COMPLY WITH MAX LNDG WT.
Narrative
ACFT STARTED DUMPING FUEL ON ITS OWN. HAD TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF DEPLETION OF FUEL IN TANK #1. SO DEPARTED COCKPIT WITH FLASHLIGHT AND DETERMINED DEFINITELY THAT FUEL WAS DEPARTING THROUGH THE L WING DUMP NOZZLE. NORMAL FUEL DUMPING WAS STARTED DOWN TO ACFT MAX LNDG WT. UPON TERMINATION OF DUMPING FUEL; NOW THE L WING NOZZLE CLOSED PROPERLY. LANDED WITHOUT REVERSING ENG #1 BECAUSE WE WERE NOT SURE IF WE COULD HAVE HAD ANOTHER LEAK IN THE L ENG AREA. FIRE DEPT DETERMINED THERE WERE NO OTHER LEAKS ON L SIDE OF ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: DURING CLBOUT ON A FLT TO LONDON; THE RPTR (CAPT) NOTICED THAT THE BLUE FILL LIGHT ON THE FE'S PANEL WAS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED (CONTINUOUS FUEL TRANSFER); BUT ALL ENGS WERE USING EQUAL FUEL. RPTR STATES THAT NO AIRLINE HAS A COCKPIT PROC FOR THIS SIT. THE CAPT SENT THE SO TO THE BACK OF THE ACFT WITH A FLASHLIGHT AND THE SO DISCOVERED THAT A MASS OF FUEL WAS BEING DUMPED FROM THE L WING DUMP NOZZLE WHEN HE PEERED THROUGH THE CABIN WINDOWS. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE TOLD TO CANCEL SVC AND STANDBY FOR FURTHER INFO. AN EMER WAS DECLARED; AND FUEL WAS DUMPED TO MEET MAX LNDG WT. THE FLT WAS DIVERTED.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.