A320
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 107.92; Flight Crew Total 679.90; Flight Crew Type 679.90
Troubleshooting; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
During climb passing approximately FL280 the flight attendant called and informed me that a passenger believed we were trailing fuel out of our #2 engine.  All engine indications appeared normal including engine fuel flow.  Checking our fuel we determined we were showing an imbalance of approximately 1500 pounds with the right wing being low. We continued to monitor to determine if the fuel imbalance remained stable or if the imbalance was increasing. We received a second call from the flight attendant informing us we had a company A320 instructor pass riding. He and I spoke and he told me it appeared to be fuel trailing the #2 engine. I sent the First Officer back to the cabin for a visual inspection and told him to look forward and aft of the wing and specifically any damage he might see on the forward edge of the wing.  While he performed a visual inspection; the flight attendant in the cockpit showed me cell phone video of the leak. I leveled off at FL380 and verified the fuel imbalance was increasing to about 1700lbs with the right wing on the low side.  I referenced the QRH for fuel leak and sent dispatch a message that we had a fuel leak; needed to divert and would be shutting down the #2 engine. The First Officer returned and informed me of the same information and we began running the fuel leak QRH.  Dispatch recommended ZZZZ and looking at our distance and time required for descent I determined it to be a proper divert location. I [requested priority] with ZZZZ Center and requested an immediate turn to ZZZZ and descent to FL 200. The First Officer and I ran the fuel leak QRH which directed an engine shutdown for a fuel leak out of the engine or pylon followed by the engine shutdown checklist.  We shut the engine down in an idle power descent and I started the APU. I then transferred flying duties to the First Officer.  ZZZZ Center handed us off to ZZZZ Approach. ZZZZ is an non radar airfield. They told us to report 30 miles from the airfield and asked if we could maintain VMC.   Weather was scattered to broken with some vertical development but was sufficient to maintain VMC and the field was reporting 6;000 scattered.  Approach gave us a descent to 7;000 and offered the [non-precision] Approach to Runway XX. I asked for the ILS for XX. Approach asked if we could fly a visual to Runway 26 and conditions were sufficient for that and we were cleared for the visual approach. We never received guidance information on our ILS though it was programmed correctly. After an uneventful landing by the First Officer we taxied to a hard stand. Foreign Country aviation authorities inspected our certificates/medical/airworthiness certificate/insurance certificate which the company instructor was very helpful working that while I worked with operations. Operations moved the passengers indoors to a gate seating area. I worked with the Chief Pilot and Maintenance Control. They informed me that the passengers would be taken on a flight from ZZZZ-ZZZZ1-ZZZ. I made several announcements and trips to the gate holding area and informed all passengers of our plan.  Most of the passengers had left carry-on bags on the aircraft; but Foreign Country security wouldn't let them return to retrieve it. I coordinated with Station Operations to have aft air stairs brought up so we could get the passenger to come back and file front to back through the airplane to retrieve their items before their inbound flight arrived and coordinated with Foreign Country security.  Foreign Country security eventually agreed but only allowing 4 passengers at a time.
On climbout from ZZZZ1 we were passing FL280 when the Flight Attendant (FA) called us.  He said a passenger (who is a pilot) said that it looked like fuel was coming out of our #2 engine.  We monitored the fuel page.  The engine fuel used totals were identical; as were the wingtip tanks.  The inboard wing tanks showed an imbalance of 1000 pounds.  Over the remaining 5 minutes of our climbout we watched the imbalance increase to 1400 pounds.  During this time we got another call from the FA.  He put us on with an Airbus Instructor that was non-revving in the back.  He told us it appeared that fuel was coming from the engine exhaust.The Captain took over the aircraft and I went back to look for myself.  There was nothing visible on the front of the wing or the front of the engine.  I went back to row XX and could clearly see a fluid coming out of the exhaust of #2.  I returned to the flight deck and told the Captain.  We ran the Fuel Leak checklist and it directed us to shut down the engine.  After starting a descent to FL200; we did so.  We secured the engine and talked to dispatch.  He directed us to either ZZZZ1 or ZZZZ.  ZZZZ1 was further and the weather was reported as suboptimal.  We chose ZZZZ.The Captain and I turned the aircraft back to ZZZZ and finished the descent to FL200.  We briefed up the approach and I took control of the aircraft.  Approach control informed us there was no radar service.  We used the local MSA to ensure terrain clearance until we were clear of the clouds and could see the airfield.  I maneuvered the aircraft to a 6-7 mile final and we configured the aircraft for landing.  There was no glideslope which we knew; but the localizer wasn't working either.  We confirmed with Tower that they could see us and that we were lined up on the correct airport.  During the confusion we forgot the Before Landing Checklist; but the Spoilers Not Armed message reminded us.  We accomplished the checklist and were fully stable and complete by 500 ft. AGL.Landing was normal; the Captain took the aircraft around 80 knots on the rollout.  We taxied clear to a hard stand near the terminal.  Most of the passengers deplaned into the terminal.  We coordinated with the Foreign Country equivalent of the FAA; as well as dispatch and maintenance.  After the passengers got on the rescue airplane; we closed up the plane and went to the hotel.
A320 flight crew reported a fuel leak from the #2 engine resulted in a fuel imbalance. The flight crew performed a successful diversion and landing.