EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Aircraft; Company Policy
On the walk around; my FO (First Officer) informed me that the engine was leaking oil. When I went back with them to see how bad it was; I saw about 2 quarts of oil on the ground in a 3 feet wide puddle on the ground. The engine was still dripping oil and there was a noticeable trail all the way back from where we taxied in. I immediately informed Dispatch and Maintenance. When Contract Maintenance came out; they had us start the engine so they could see where the oil was coming from. During the run-up; we were losing about a quart of oil a minute and the oil was coming from a cut in a pressurized oil line. Turns out a coupling on the pneumatic hose for the starter was incorrectly installed; so that it was rubbing against a pressurized oil line and ended up chafing a 1/8 inch cut in it. It was lucky the majority of the cut happened on landing because if it happened in the air; we would have lost the engine in a matter of minutes. Maintenance also remarked that it looks like the engine was freshly installed because there were many couplings all over the engine that were improperly installed and/or loose.First Officer observed oil spillage on walk around. Improperly installed components on engine. Called Maintenance and cancelled the flight. Better maintenance inspections and stressing the importance of not skipping the walk-around.
EMB-145 Captain reported the First Officer discovering an engine oil leak during the pre-flight walkaround.