Regional Jet 900 (CRJ900)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
While doing an aircraft preflight walk around inspection during fueling operations; (had been fueling for about 1-2 minutes); I noticed that the aircraft was leaking a large amount of fuel onto the ramp from the right forward wing root. After I had the Fueler cease the fueling operations; he had mentioned that the same occurrence had taken place the day before. Maintenance came to the aircraft and took apart a panel. After letting the fuel drain; I observed the location of the fuel leak. It was coming from a blue rubber connector sleeve that connects the right main wing fuel tank line to the valve module. Upon closer inspection; a repair had been made with a gray epoxy. Upon tactile inspection; the epoxy was disintegrating and coming apart.Upon inspection of the aircraft's maintenance logbook; the same fuel leak had occurred the day before. The corrective action that Maintenance had written in the logbook was that the damaged part was replaced with a new part. After inspection of the leak and the patched connector; it was clear to see that the corrective action that was logged had not actually taken place. Rather; an insufficient patch with epoxy that was 'solvent' to oil based products was used to patch the damaged part.[Recommend]:1. Use proper maintenance procedures when fixing fuel critical components that adversely affect the safe operation of a Part 121 flight.2. Do not falsify aircraft Logbook entries.
During fueling operations; a First Officer notices a large amount of fuel leaking onto the ramp surface from the right forward wing root of a CRJ-900 aircraft. A blue rubber connector sleeve that connects the right main wing tank fuel line to a valve module had been patched with gray epoxy that was disintegrating. Corrective action in logbook for same problem the previous day; stated connector was replaced. Pilot concerned about false logbook entries.