Air carrier has fuel transfer problem. Engine failure on approach.

Attributes
ACN	183514
Time
Date	199107
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	183514
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On final approach to den on air carrier flight from dro. Flying an mdt on a visual approach to runway 25, #4 engine failed with no prior indication. Flight landed runway 26R. #3 fuel quantity gauge was deferred. In flight received #4 fuel low level warnings and transferred fuel to #4 tank from #1 and #2. After warnings also activated #4 fuel auxiliary pump in order to ensure fuel in collector cell. The apparent cause of #4 engine failure was fuel starvation. I believe a check valve was stuck open allowing fuel from #4 fuel tank into #3 fuel tank thus giving the #3 fuel gauge a high indication which was in fact correct. I believe the faulty gauge was #4 which read normal indications but ran out with an indication of 500 pounds on the #4 gauge. I don't believe fuel quantity gauges should ever be a deferrable item and I hope this report will help to change that.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS FUEL TRANSFER PROBLEM. ENGINE FAILURE ON APCH.

Narrative: ON FINAL APCH TO DEN ON ACR FLT FROM DRO. FLYING AN MDT ON A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 25, #4 ENG FAILED WITH NO PRIOR INDICATION. FLT LANDED RWY 26R. #3 FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE WAS DEFERRED. IN FLT RECEIVED #4 FUEL LOW LEVEL WARNINGS AND TRANSFERRED FUEL TO #4 TANK FROM #1 AND #2. AFTER WARNINGS ALSO ACTIVATED #4 FUEL AUX PUMP IN ORDER TO ENSURE FUEL IN COLLECTOR CELL. THE APPARENT CAUSE OF #4 ENG FAILURE WAS FUEL STARVATION. I BELIEVE A CHK VALVE WAS STUCK OPEN ALLOWING FUEL FROM #4 FUEL TANK INTO #3 FUEL TANK THUS GIVING THE #3 FUEL GAUGE A HIGH INDICATION WHICH WAS IN FACT CORRECT. I BELIEVE THE FAULTY GAUGE WAS #4 WHICH READ NORMAL INDICATIONS BUT RAN OUT WITH AN INDICATION OF 500 POUNDS ON THE #4 GAUGE. I DON'T BELIEVE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES SHOULD EVER BE A DEFERRABLE ITEM AND I HOPE THIS RPT WILL HELP TO CHANGE THAT.

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.