Passengers on a USAirways flight yesterday may have had a narrow escape yesterday when airport personnel noticed a fuel leak as the plane was leaving the gate.

Airport manager Jim Howes told last night that US Airways flight 25 was pushing back from the gate when the petrol leak was detected. Though Mr. Howes was unsure who initially spotted the leak, he said a conversation between the captain and ground personnel resulted in the plane immediately taxiing back to the gate and passengers being removed.

Mechanics went to work on the problem ? a fitting inside the engine which had worked itself loose ? immediately, and the plane took off for Philadelphia just over two hours late at 5.15 p.m. Mr. Howes said he could not say whether or not a serious accident had been avoided, though he did say the matter was ?of concern?.

?We have referred the report to the Department of Civil Aviation,? he said. ?Naturally we want it looked at very carefully.?