Air carrier medium large transport fuel management problem on an FAA check ride.

Attributes
ACN	160461
Time
Date	199010
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	160461
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On this flight was an FAA principal operating inspector. On 25 mi final he asked how much was maximum fuel imbalance. I looked at the fuel gauges and saw 1400 differential (maximum-1000 pounds). I immediately started to use fuel out of high tank. Unable to get below 1000 pounds limit prior to landing. Go around initiated. Fuel brought within limits for landing and landed normally and west/O incident. No structural limits were violated. Problem was found immediately after FAA rep said, 'what is maximum fuel imbalance?' the fuel x-feed was found in the open position. This was not done by me or any member of the crew. However, as this was a hidden checklist item (i.e., on before start checklist refers to 'fuel panel-set'--this refers to 2 items: 1) fuel pumps, and 2) x-feed closed). The xfeed looks like the graphic. I did not see it was open. The light in this cage was very dark as it is a bright dark or off light. The aci said he could barely see it after he knew about it. The line flowing through the switch makes it unnoticeable in the on position, hence the light. It was also daylight, which makes lights hard to see. In addition, the fuel gauges are the liquid(?) type and are hard to see when the captain's seat is in the normal position and daylight. Report is being made by aci.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FUEL MANAGEMENT PROBLEM ON AN FAA CHECK RIDE.

Narrative: ON THIS FLT WAS AN FAA PRINCIPAL OPERATING INSPECTOR. ON 25 MI FINAL HE ASKED HOW MUCH WAS MAX FUEL IMBALANCE. I LOOKED AT THE FUEL GAUGES AND SAW 1400 DIFFERENTIAL (MAX-1000 LBS). I IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO USE FUEL OUT OF HIGH TANK. UNABLE TO GET BELOW 1000 LBS LIMIT PRIOR TO LNDG. GAR INITIATED. FUEL BROUGHT WITHIN LIMITS FOR LNDG AND LANDED NORMALLY AND W/O INCIDENT. NO STRUCTURAL LIMITS WERE VIOLATED. PROB WAS FOUND IMMEDIATELY AFTER FAA REP SAID, 'WHAT IS MAX FUEL IMBALANCE?' THE FUEL X-FEED WAS FOUND IN THE OPEN POS. THIS WAS NOT DONE BY ME OR ANY MEMBER OF THE CREW. HOWEVER, AS THIS WAS A HIDDEN CHKLIST ITEM (I.E., ON BEFORE START CHKLIST REFERS TO 'FUEL PANEL-SET'--THIS REFERS TO 2 ITEMS: 1) FUEL PUMPS, AND 2) X-FEED CLOSED). THE XFEED LOOKS LIKE THE GRAPHIC. I DID NOT SEE IT WAS OPEN. THE LIGHT IN THIS CAGE WAS VERY DARK AS IT IS A BRIGHT DARK OR OFF LIGHT. THE ACI SAID HE COULD BARELY SEE IT AFTER HE KNEW ABOUT IT. THE LINE FLOWING THROUGH THE SWITCH MAKES IT UNNOTICEABLE IN THE ON POS, HENCE THE LIGHT. IT WAS ALSO DAYLIGHT, WHICH MAKES LIGHTS HARD TO SEE. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL GAUGES ARE THE LIQUID(?) TYPE AND ARE HARD TO SEE WHEN THE CAPT'S SEAT IS IN THE NORMAL POS AND DAYLIGHT. RPT IS BEING MADE BY ACI.

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.