B737-400 aircraft fuel xfeed was opened by the captain to ensure main tanks remained even, but first officer was not informed about the xfeed open. During descent, flight crew noted a fuel imbal of 2500 pounds. Maximum allowable for landing is 1000 pounds. Flight crew corrected the imbal prior to landing.

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Attributes
ACN	395315
Time
Date	199802
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl tracon : clt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	395315
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	395088
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Pumping fuel out of center tank. When tank had 500 pounds remaining, I opened the xfeed valve to insure main tanks would remain even. When center tank low pressure lights came on, I turned off the center tank boost pumps, but failed to close xfeed valve. I was distraction by ATC and other events and did not notice that now my main tanks were getting in an imbalanced condition. On descent into clt, I turned off the autoplt and noticed the fuel imbal of 2500 pounds. We corrected the imbal prior to landing in clt. My first error was not telling my first officer that I had the xfeed valve open. Better CRM would have prevented this problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 ACFT FUEL XFEED WAS OPENED BY THE CAPT TO ENSURE MAIN TANKS REMAINED EVEN, BUT FO WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT THE XFEED OPEN. DURING DSCNT, FLC NOTED A FUEL IMBAL OF 2500 LBS. MAX ALLOWABLE FOR LNDG IS 1000 LBS. FLC CORRECTED THE IMBAL PRIOR TO LNDG.

Narrative: PUMPING FUEL OUT OF CTR TANK. WHEN TANK HAD 500 LBS REMAINING, I OPENED THE XFEED VALVE TO INSURE MAIN TANKS WOULD REMAIN EVEN. WHEN CTR TANK LOW PRESSURE LIGHTS CAME ON, I TURNED OFF THE CTR TANK BOOST PUMPS, BUT FAILED TO CLOSE XFEED VALVE. I WAS DISTR BY ATC AND OTHER EVENTS AND DID NOT NOTICE THAT NOW MY MAIN TANKS WERE GETTING IN AN IMBALANCED CONDITION. ON DSCNT INTO CLT, I TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND NOTICED THE FUEL IMBAL OF 2500 LBS. WE CORRECTED THE IMBAL PRIOR TO LNDG IN CLT. MY FIRST ERROR WAS NOT TELLING MY FO THAT I HAD THE XFEED VALVE OPEN. BETTER CRM WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS PROB.

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.