PHOTOS: Fuel Gushes from Wing of Thomas Cook 757

[PhilDernerJr]

:arrow: PHOTOS: Fuel Gushes from Wing of Thomas Cook 757 (http://nycaviation.com/2010/02/22/photos-thomas-cook-757-fuel-leak/)

Great photos from Paolo Migliavacca show a Thomas Cook 757 that sprung a fairly heavy fuel leak while departing from Turin, Italy yesterday. A quick landing, repair, runway clean-up and diaper change for over 200 passengers later and all was well again!

[hiss srq]

Did a bit of digging into the possible causes of the incident. The fuel vented from the fuel vent on the wing. There are two likely scenario's at play behind what could have caused this "venting". In the wing just above the physical vent there is a seal. This seal is actuated by a "float arm". The vent remains open when there is no fuel which serves to dissipate vapor in the system. When there is fuel present this float arm is pushed upward exherting pressure to the seal to remain closed. My guess is that either the seal broke somehow or the float arm broke. One of those two scenario's.

[LGA777]

That is just crazy, never seen fuel spewing out of an aircraft like in the last 2 photo's, so glad they made it back safetly. I would be interested to know if the photographer made any attemp to contact the Tower or authorities, as he may have been the only person on the ground that was aware? The crew would likely get an indication of the fuel leak but good chance they may have initially NOT realized how bad or critical the leak was.

And the next time you are in coach on a US based carrier and don't like the leg room imagine what a 757-200 than can hold (at least) 231 paxs is like. For comparison a typical capacity for many US carriers domestically configured two-class 757's is around 182.

Regards

LGA777

[cancidas]

The fuel vented from the fuel vent on the wing. There are two likely scenario's at play behind what could have caused this "venting".

according to the NYCA article:
"The problem with the aircraft was a faulty vent channel float valve."

[hiss srq]

Well aware. Matt. That is exactly what I was referring to or would you rather me email you the diagram which depicts it. ;)