An air carrier B727-200 freighter had to land en route due to a fuel imbalance.

Attributes
ACN	357267
Time
Date	199612
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	357267
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	357226
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Due to a maintenance procedure performed in error, flight crew was unable to xfeed fuel to the #1 engine. This caused an out-of-balance fuel tank confign. Executed a precautionary landing at xyz. Tank #1 xfeed valve found closed by xyz maintenance. Supplemental information from acn 357266: I inadvertently deferred the #1 fuel fill valve per the MEL procedures for the #1 xfeed valve. I was rushing to avoid a maintenance delay, not being completely familiar with MEL. I believe by getting a second opinion on the procedure will prevent any further occurrences of this nature.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B727-200 FREIGHTER HAD TO LAND ENRTE DUE TO A FUEL IMBALANCE.

Narrative: DUE TO A MAINT PROC PERFORMED IN ERROR, FLC WAS UNABLE TO XFEED FUEL TO THE #1 ENG. THIS CAUSED AN OUT-OF-BAL FUEL TANK CONFIGN. EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT XYZ. TANK #1 XFEED VALVE FOUND CLOSED BY XYZ MAINT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 357266: I INADVERTENTLY DEFERRED THE #1 FUEL FILL VALVE PER THE MEL PROCS FOR THE #1 XFEED VALVE. I WAS RUSHING TO AVOID A MAINT DELAY, NOT BEING COMPLETELY FAMILIAR WITH MEL. I BELIEVE BY GETTING A SECOND OPINION ON THE PROC WILL PREVENT ANY FURTHER OCCURRENCES OF THIS NATURE.

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.