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Air carrier large transport flight crew mismanages fuel system during boost pump problem. That, combined with higher than anticipated fuel burn, causes captain to declare a low fuel situation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 146060 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199005 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : lga |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 29000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 146060 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
During cruise on flight from yyz to lga, #2 tank right aft fuel boost pump low pressure light illuminated. Accomplished abnormal procedure, 'landing with inoperative boost pumps/low fuel go around.' this procedure should have been accomplished just prior to landing, not during cruise. The procedure causes fuel to be consumed from only the #2 tank, and early accomplishment in this case caused a fuel imbalance. The first officer was flying the aircraft, and the captain did not notice the problem due to distraction caused by numerous frequency changes required by ATC on the extol 1 arrival to lga. In addition due to ATC requested lower altitude during cruise, and extensive vectoring, our fuel consumption was 2000 pounds greater than planned. These 2 conditions caused some confusion, and I elected to notify ny approach of a minimum fuel condition. No priority handling was requested. The landing was uneventful. At gate arrival fuel on board was 8000 pounds. Reserve plus alternate fuel required was 6000 pounds. No fuel leak was found.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR LGT FLT CREW MISMANAGES FUEL SYSTEM DURING BOOST PUMP PROBLEM. THAT, COMBINED WITH HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED FUEL BURN, CAUSES CAPT TO DECLARE A LOW FUEL SITUATION.
Narrative: DURING CRUISE ON FLT FROM YYZ TO LGA, #2 TANK RIGHT AFT FUEL BOOST PUMP LOW PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ACCOMPLISHED ABNORMAL PROC, 'LNDG WITH INOP BOOST PUMPS/LOW FUEL GAR.' THIS PROC SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED JUST PRIOR TO LNDG, NOT DURING CRUISE. THE PROC CAUSES FUEL TO BE CONSUMED FROM ONLY THE #2 TANK, AND EARLY ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THIS CASE CAUSED A FUEL IMBALANCE. THE F/O WAS FLYING THE ACFT, AND THE CAPT DID NOT NOTICE THE PROB DUE TO DISTR CAUSED BY NUMEROUS FREQ CHANGES REQUIRED BY ATC ON THE EXTOL 1 ARR TO LGA. IN ADDITION DUE TO ATC REQUESTED LOWER ALT DURING CRUISE, AND EXTENSIVE VECTORING, OUR FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS 2000 LBS GREATER THAN PLANNED. THESE 2 CONDITIONS CAUSED SOME CONFUSION, AND I ELECTED TO NOTIFY NY APCH OF A MINIMUM FUEL CONDITION. NO PRIORITY HANDLING WAS REQUESTED. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. AT GATE ARR FUEL ON BOARD WAS 8000 LBS. RESERVE PLUS ALTERNATE FUEL REQUIRED WAS 6000 LBS. NO FUEL LEAK WAS FOUND.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.