An air carrier medium large transport crew burned some of its ballast fuel.

Attributes
ACN	257108
Time
Date	199311
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	257108
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	257273
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Trip on first day of flight attendants strike at air carrier. Flight was 'designated' cargo only, no passenger. There was much confusion at the aircraft as to what fuel load and how much if any ballast fuel was to be on the aircraft. We (cockpit crew) were performing many duties, (i.e., arming slides, securing galleys, and overall security of the aircraft) for the first time, in addition to our normal duties. In haste, the 5000 pounds of ballast fuel in the center wing was overlooked. This was the first time in 6 yrs on the medium large transport, I have had ballast fuel. Roughly 45 mins into the flight, it was noticed and the center wing burn was stopped leaving 1200 pounds (i.e., burned 3800 pounds of ballast fuel). Contacted dispatch ran it through the charts and figured center of gravity to be right at the aft limit. Landed and taxied in with no incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW BURNED SOME OF ITS BALLAST FUEL.

Narrative: TRIP ON FIRST DAY OF FLT ATTENDANTS STRIKE AT ACR. FLT WAS 'DESIGNATED' CARGO ONLY, NO PAX. THERE WAS MUCH CONFUSION AT THE ACFT AS TO WHAT FUEL LOAD AND HOW MUCH IF ANY BALLAST FUEL WAS TO BE ON THE ACFT. WE (COCKPIT CREW) WERE PERFORMING MANY DUTIES, (I.E., ARMING SLIDES, SECURING GALLEYS, AND OVERALL SECURITY OF THE ACFT) FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN ADDITION TO OUR NORMAL DUTIES. IN HASTE, THE 5000 LBS OF BALLAST FUEL IN THE CTR WING WAS OVERLOOKED. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN 6 YRS ON THE MLG, I HAVE HAD BALLAST FUEL. ROUGHLY 45 MINS INTO THE FLT, IT WAS NOTICED AND THE CTR WING BURN WAS STOPPED LEAVING 1200 LBS (I.E., BURNED 3800 LBS OF BALLAST FUEL). CONTACTED DISPATCH RAN IT THROUGH THE CHARTS AND FIGURED CTR OF GRAVITY TO BE R AT THE AFT LIMIT. LANDED AND TAXIED IN WITH NO INCIDENT.

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.