Fuel imbal on gauges caused flight crew to attempt to xfeed. Fuel gauge showed increase instead of d...

Attributes
ACN	196009
Time
Date	199112
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ggg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	196009
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	196252
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Upon takeoff the left wing of the aircraft wanted to drop. We corrected with aileron and trimmed out the imbal with aileron trim. During cruise the captain noticed that right tank fuel was more and started to xfeed fuel from the right tank to balance fuel. I noticed that right tank fuel was about 400 pounds heavier than the left side and increasing. In a period of about 30 seconds right tank fuel increased 400 pounds. During this period the xfeed was closed. We observed right fuel continuing to increase. We elected to xfeed fuel from the right tank to both engines. Inlet low pressure lights came on. We immediately turned all 4 main pumps on, lights went out. Discontinued xfeed. A few mins later the right engine flamed out. We decided to open the xfeed valve and the engine immediately came back. We continued to run with the xfeed open until arrival at the gate. We notified the company that we had a fuel problem and to have a mechanic meet the flight at the gate. Talked to maintenance tech center and found out that the fuel comparator in the right main tank was bad. Looking back, a lot of the conflicting signs make sense. The trim deflected to the right (left wing had more fuel than the right side). Xfeeding from the right tank to balance fuel and both left and right inlet low pressure lights on (no fuel right tank), right engine flaming out (no fuel right side), and finally when we opened xfeed, left tank fuel to right side, engine relit (fuel left tank, none in right tank).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL IMBAL ON GAUGES CAUSED FLC TO ATTEMPT TO XFEED. FUEL GAUGE SHOWED INCREASE INSTEAD OF DECREASE IN R TANK. XFEED TURNED OFF. R ENG FLAMED OUT. XFEED ON, ENG RELIT. CONTINUED TO LNDG WITH XFEED ON, ALL 4 BOOST PUMPS RUNNING.

Narrative: UPON TKOF THE L WING OF THE ACFT WANTED TO DROP. WE CORRECTED WITH AILERON AND TRIMMED OUT THE IMBAL WITH AILERON TRIM. DURING CRUISE THE CAPT NOTICED THAT R TANK FUEL WAS MORE AND STARTED TO XFEED FUEL FROM THE R TANK TO BAL FUEL. I NOTICED THAT R TANK FUEL WAS ABOUT 400 POUNDS HEAVIER THAN THE L SIDE AND INCREASING. IN A PERIOD OF ABOUT 30 SECONDS R TANK FUEL INCREASED 400 POUNDS. DURING THIS PERIOD THE XFEED WAS CLOSED. WE OBSERVED R FUEL CONTINUING TO INCREASE. WE ELECTED TO XFEED FUEL FROM THE R TANK TO BOTH ENGS. INLET LOW PRESSURE LIGHTS CAME ON. WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED ALL 4 MAIN PUMPS ON, LIGHTS WENT OUT. DISCONTINUED XFEED. A FEW MINS LATER THE R ENG FLAMED OUT. WE DECIDED TO OPEN THE XFEED VALVE AND THE ENG IMMEDIATELY CAME BACK. WE CONTINUED TO RUN WITH THE XFEED OPEN UNTIL ARR AT THE GATE. WE NOTIFIED THE COMPANY THAT WE HAD A FUEL PROBLEM AND TO HAVE A MECH MEET THE FLT AT THE GATE. TALKED TO MAINT TECH CENTER AND FOUND OUT THAT THE FUEL COMPARATOR IN THE R MAIN TANK WAS BAD. LOOKING BACK, A LOT OF THE CONFLICTING SIGNS MAKE SENSE. THE TRIM DEFLECTED TO THE R (L WING HAD MORE FUEL THAN THE R SIDE). XFEEDING FROM THE R TANK TO BAL FUEL AND BOTH L AND R INLET LOW PRESSURE LIGHTS ON (NO FUEL R TANK), R ENG FLAMING OUT (NO FUEL R SIDE), AND FINALLY WHEN WE OPENED XFEED, L TANK FUEL TO R SIDE, ENG RELIT (FUEL L TANK, NONE IN R TANK).

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.

Fuel imbal on gauges caused flight crew to attempt to xfeed. Fuel gauge showed increase instead of decrease in right tank. Xfeed turned off. Right engine flamed out. Xfeed on, engine relit. Continued to landing with xfeed on, all 4 boost pumps running.