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Despite gauges showing fuel loading even across the tanks, aircraft flew wing low. Flight crew dumped fuel return, landed. Postflt inspection showed #1 fuel tank had 10400 pounds less fuel than was showing on the #1 fuel gauge.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 164948 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199012 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jfk |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 17000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 tower : jfk |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude descent other landing other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 164948 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
On takeoff from jfk international first officer complained of out of trim situation of aircraft. After checking engines which were all even and fuel loading which was even we saw control surface indicator showing spoilers on left wing were extended. F/east was sent into cabin to verify this and returned to confirm that spoilers were sticking up 3-4 inches. We exercised the spoilers and this did not help. We then decided to return to jfk, dumped fuel to maximum landing weight and landed uneventfully. When on ground maintenance found nothing wrong with flight controls but found that #1 fuel tank had 10400 pounds less fuel than was shown on #1 fuel gauge. This is what was causing the out of trim situation and spoiler deployment. Solution: perhaps a return to the requirement of obtaining a fuel slip showing the amount of fuel added should be given to flight crew to verify proper fuel loading.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DESPITE GAUGES SHOWING FUEL LOADING EVEN ACROSS THE TANKS, ACFT FLEW WING LOW. FLT CREW DUMPED FUEL RETURN, LANDED. POSTFLT INSPECTION SHOWED #1 FUEL TANK HAD 10400 LBS LESS FUEL THAN WAS SHOWING ON THE #1 FUEL GAUGE.
Narrative: ON TKOF FROM JFK INTL F/O COMPLAINED OF OUT OF TRIM SITUATION OF ACFT. AFTER CHKING ENGS WHICH WERE ALL EVEN AND FUEL LOADING WHICH WAS EVEN WE SAW CTL SURFACE INDICATOR SHOWING SPOILERS ON L WING WERE EXTENDED. F/E WAS SENT INTO CABIN TO VERIFY THIS AND RETURNED TO CONFIRM THAT SPOILERS WERE STICKING UP 3-4 INCHES. WE EXERCISED THE SPOILERS AND THIS DID NOT HELP. WE THEN DECIDED TO RETURN TO JFK, DUMPED FUEL TO MAX LNDG WEIGHT AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. WHEN ON GND MAINT FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH FLT CTLS BUT FOUND THAT #1 FUEL TANK HAD 10400 LBS LESS FUEL THAN WAS SHOWN ON #1 FUEL GAUGE. THIS IS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE OUT OF TRIM SITUATION AND SPOILER DEPLOYMENT. SOLUTION: PERHAPS A RETURN TO THE REQUIREMENT OF OBTAINING A FUEL SLIP SHOWING THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ADDED SHOULD BE GIVEN TO FLT CREW TO VERIFY PROPER FUEL LOADING.
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.