Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 210; Flight Crew Total 18000; Flight Crew Type 7000
Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Human Factors
I noticed hydraulic fluid leaking during my exterior inspection; 1 drip [every] 2 seconds; from the bottom of left engine with puddle of fluid on ramp. Maintenance was notified and discrepancy logged. Mechanic came into cockpit and said the engine was no longer leaking; and the fluid was fuel. I was confident the fluid was not fuel and went down to the ramp to further inspect engine wondering if the Mechanic even addressed the log item. The leak was still occurring at the same rate and had never stopped. The Mechanic had signed off the discrepancy stating; checked found no leaks. We called Maintenance back out to aircraft and another Mechanic found a hydraulic reverser actuator leaking. The left reverser was deactivated with no further leaks. Flight departed uneventfully.
On walk around First Officer noticed hydraulic fluid leaking from the left engine and saw a puddle of fluid under the engine cowling. Got Mechanic involved to check for problem. Mechanic came to the cockpit and told us that it was fuel residue and that is not leaking anymore. First Officer went down after the Mechanic left the cockpit and saw that it was still leaking and it was not fuel but hydraulic fluid. I called Maintenance again and they came and I made them open the cowling and they noticed that one of the reverser hydraulic actuator is leaking. They fixed the problem by deferring the left engine reverser actuator and signed it off.
A Maintenance Technician did not properly locate or identify the crew write-up for a fluid leak. The flight crew reconfirmed the leak and again documented the defect. Another Maintenance Technican identified the reverser actuator as the fluid source; and deactivated the actuator per the Minimum Equipment List.