What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The CRJ200 ferry flight en-route from sault ste. Marie, ontario, Canada (yam) to appleton, WI (atw) was notified by air traffic control (ATC) that there was a white mist coming from the right-wing during takeoff. The crew declared an emergency and began to return to yam.
They noticed a fuel imbalance beginning so engaged the auto-crossflow, which relatively balanced the wings. On taxi-in, fire department noted a few drops of fuel coming from the right wing when taxiing forward and making right turns. When making left turns, fuel leak increased. Upon parking at the hangar, the wing was dripping slowly, and the wing was wet underneath.
The aircraft had been released from heavy check on the day of this incident. There were no related mel’s.
AD 2022-18-15 required replacement of the wiggins coupling clam shells. This AD was accomplished on 09/08/2026.
Investigation showed the o-rings exhibited physical damage consistent with being cut or pinched during installation.
Based on the condition of the o-rings and review of the installation, the investigation determined that unintended torsional loading was applied to one side of the wiggins fittings during assembly. This loading resulted in damage to the o-rings and subsequently compromised the sealing integrity of the couplings.
As the FAA filed it
THE CRJ200 FERRY FLIGHT EN-ROUTE FROM SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO, CANADA (YAM) TO APPLETON, WI (ATW) WAS NOTIFIED BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) THAT THERE WAS A WHITE MIST COMING FROM THE RIGHT-WING DURING TAKEOFF. THE CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND BEGAN TO RETURN TO YAM.
THEY NOTICED A FUEL IMBALANCE BEGINNING SO ENGAGED THE AUTO-CROSSFLOW, WHICH RELATIVELY BALANCED THE WINGS. ON TAXI-IN, FIRE DEPARTMENT NOTED A FEW DROPS OF FUEL COMING FROM THE RIGHT WING WHEN TAXIING FORWARD AND MAKING RIGHT TURNS. WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS, FUEL LEAK INCREASED. UPON PARKING AT THE HANGAR, THE WING WAS DRIPPING SLOWLY, AND THE WING WAS WET UNDERNEATH.
THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN RELEASED FROM HEAVY CHECK ON THE DAY OF THIS INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO RELATED MEL’S.
AD 2022-18-15 REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE WIGGINS COUPLING CLAM SHELLS. THIS AD WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON 09/08/2026.
INVESTIGATION SHOWED THE O-RINGS EXHIBITED PHYSICAL DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH BEING CUT OR PINCHED DURING INSTALLATION.
BASED ON THE CONDITION OF THE O-RINGS AND REVIEW OF THE INSTALLATION, THE INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT UNINTENDED TORSIONAL LOADING WAS APPLIED TO ONE SIDE OF THE WIGGINS FITTINGS DURING ASSEMBLY. THIS LOADING RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE O-RINGS AND SUBSEQUENTLY COMPROMISED THE SEALING INTEGRITY OF THE COUPLINGS.