Delta 661 Moments from potential trouble?

[semperflyer797]

I happened to be listening to Atlanta tower the other day when a rather peculiar set of transmissions came across that piqued my attention.  Delta flight 661, a Boeing 757-200 from Atlanta (KATL) to Cyril E King Airport (CHARLOTTE AMALIE, VI) (TIST) was nearing takeoff when they radioed the tower and let them know they had a maintenance issue which they needed to work, and requested to taxi clear of the sequenced aircraft.  The taxi instructions they were then given would place the aircraft very near the take off point of runway 27R.  They taxied clear and as they were doing so the aircraft directly behind them radioed to say there was a lot of fluid leaking from under the center of the aircraft.  After a few minutes they then requested to taxi back to the stand with an apparent hydraulic fluid leak.  Subsequently, airport staff closed part of taxiway Lima in order to clean up the spilled fluid.  The flight later continued with a delay of nearly 3 hours.

Talk about lucky timing.  I'd hate to think what could've happened if the leak occurred a few minutes, or even later in the flight than when it did.  Probably would've just meant a return to the airport, or a landing at another but still not a good issue to have to deal with.  Guess it just proves that sometimes it pays to be lucky.

[VASAviation]

Thanks for this Semper!

Could anyone help me out with the misses on red color? It's for my youtube channel VASAviation. Appreciate the help, thanks!!

-Tower, Delta 661?
-Go ahead?
-Yeah, looks like we've got a maintenance issue. We'll probably have to return to the gate. You got some place to put us for now?
-Delta 661, okay. Just pull up to LB for now and I'll see what I can do.
-Alright, pull up to LB; Delta 661
-And Delta 661, let me know if you're for sure gonna go back to he ramp.
-Pretty sure we are, Delta 661
-Delta 661, roger. The join LIMA. On LIMA ocntact Ground .75 to return to the gate.
-Join L and talk to Ground .75 to return, Delta 661
-Tower, Delta 661, can we hold our position on LIMA pointing west for a little while to talk maintenance?
-Delta 661, affirmative.
-Thanks and we'll switch over Ground.
-Thank you.
-Delta 661, we're the RJ behind you. Not sure if it's associated but appears to be a lot of fluid leaking right on the center of the aircraft.
-Delta 661?
-Ground, Delta 661?
-661, stand by.
-Delta 661, the RJ behind you said there was oil leaking from the rear center of the aircraft.
-Yeah, that's just the issue we were gonna call you about. We're on L short of L-14. We are gonna talk to maintenance. We can hold this position for a little while.
-Delta 661, that's fine. Just let me know where you need to go.
-Aight, thanks Delta 661
-Delta 661, [...shown] as you have a lot of fluid leaking between, I guess, you rear wheels. Some kind - some type of fluid leaking.
-Alright, copy that Delta 661. We're suspecting a hydraulic fluid. Will get back to you as soon as I can
-Ground, Delta 661, got an assigment on the gate. We need to go [..]
-Alright, Delta 661. For now taxi via L, hols short of ramp 8 for now.
-L short of ramp 8; Delta 661
-Delta 661, just give way to the opposite direction RJ at J and then continue to ramp 6
-Give way to the opposite direction RJ at Julite and to the ramp, Delta 661
-Ground, ops 5 with you.
-Ops 5, [....]
-Roger hat. We're proceeding on L and M and we're gonna check out possible fluid on L.
-Roger.
-Ground, OPS 5
-Ops 5 Ground.
-Yes, sir. We'd like to go ahead and close L east of L14. L14 being available. [..]
-Ops 5, roger. We'll show that closed.

[PHXCONXrunner]

Talk about lucky timing.  I'd hate to think what could've happened if the leak occurred a few minutes, or even later in the flight than when it did. 

The airplane would have returned to the field for a precautionary landing.  The loss of one hydraulic system is really not scary, just some alternate checklists to run and the other two independent/redundant systems would pick up the workload.  The most abnormal procedure (other than the return itself) would be an alternate gear extension depending on which system went down.

In my ten years working at the airport, I've personally seen over a dozen landings/diversions/returns where a hydraulic system was lost.  Other than fire trucks as a precaution, there never seemed to be a sense of emergency.

[semperflyer797]

@PHXCONXrunner...true enough but without any report from say avherald as to what the issue was it's hard to know for sure.  If by some chance both hydraulic systems were affected then it could've ended in disaster.  It's one thing for the RJ behind them to say something like "yeah we see a little bit of fluid dripping" vs what they said.  I also believe that with an alternate gear extension they would've lost nose wheel steering, which wouldn't be a problem in and of itself, but they would need to stop on the runway and probably need to be towed back to the gate.

[ashawley]

Not sure what the first, second and fourth were, but here's my best attempts:

1. Delta 661, [...] is saying you have a lot of fuel leaking between, I guess, your rear wheels.

2. We need to go to ramp 6F

3. Ops 5, Atlanta Ground, proceed on to the movement area, remain clear of all runways and yield to all aircraft

4. Yes, sir. We'd like to go ahead and close L east of L14. L14 being available. Until we clean this up without delay.

[VASAviation]

Not sure what the first, second and fourth were, but here's my best attempts:

1. Delta 661, [...] is saying you have a lot of fuel leaking between, I guess, your rear wheels.

2. We need to go to ramp 6F

3. Ops 5, Atlanta Ground, proceed on to the movement area, remain clear of all runways and yield to all aircraft

4. Yes, sir. We'd like to go ahead and close L east of L14. L14 being available. Until we clean this up without delay.

Thank you very much, Aaron!!!!