An MD80 returned to the field immediately after takeoff due to unwanted fuel xfer.

Attributes
ACN	367816
Time
Date	199704
Day	Tue
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
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	367816
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Performed fuel xfer from center tank to tanks #1 and #2 on ground. Left defuel valve open. Aircraft took off causing a fuel imbal. Air return to gate. On taxi up saw defuel door open and valve open. Closed valve, xferred fuel, no further defects noted. Failure to close valve resulted in fuel xfer without pilot control causing wing imbal and aircraft return. In the midst of working other problems, didn't take a min and ask myself if aircraft was left in flight confign after fuel xfer. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that while he opened the valve to xfer fuel he did not close the valve being assigned another job. He advised the aircraft was fueled after he departed the area and the defueling valve door should have been seen hanging open since you cannot close the door unless the valve is closed. No write-up was made as to the condition of the valve before leaving the area. He said this valve and door was missed by the first officer and the fueler.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 RETURNED TO THE FIELD IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF DUE TO UNWANTED FUEL XFER.

Narrative: PERFORMED FUEL XFER FROM CTR TANK TO TANKS #1 AND #2 ON GND. LEFT DEFUEL VALVE OPEN. ACFT TOOK OFF CAUSING A FUEL IMBAL. AIR RETURN TO GATE. ON TAXI UP SAW DEFUEL DOOR OPEN AND VALVE OPEN. CLOSED VALVE, XFERRED FUEL, NO FURTHER DEFECTS NOTED. FAILURE TO CLOSE VALVE RESULTED IN FUEL XFER WITHOUT PLT CTL CAUSING WING IMBAL AND ACFT RETURN. IN THE MIDST OF WORKING OTHER PROBS, DIDN'T TAKE A MIN AND ASK MYSELF IF ACFT WAS LEFT IN FLT CONFIGN AFTER FUEL XFER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT WHILE HE OPENED THE VALVE TO XFER FUEL HE DID NOT CLOSE THE VALVE BEING ASSIGNED ANOTHER JOB. HE ADVISED THE ACFT WAS FUELED AFTER HE DEPARTED THE AREA AND THE DEFUELING VALVE DOOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN SEEN HANGING OPEN SINCE YOU CANNOT CLOSE THE DOOR UNLESS THE VALVE IS CLOSED. NO WRITE-UP WAS MADE AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE VALVE BEFORE LEAVING THE AREA. HE SAID THIS VALVE AND DOOR WAS MISSED BY THE FO AND THE FUELER.

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.