A canadair CL65 regional jet on initial climb at 3500 ft declared an emergency and diverted due to a low fuel sensor warning caused by a computer fault.

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Attributes
ACN	396382
Time
Date	199803
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7200 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	396382
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On a maintenance test flight, during climb out a faulty fuel sensor indicated a rapid fuel leak. When this was noted only 500 pounds of fuel remained. We declared an emergency and promptly landed. When the aircraft was parked the fuel showed normal quantities. A '703' code was found in the maintenance diagnostic computer which indicates a fuel fault. Other factors could have been that our lower than normal fuel load moved aft in the wing tanks contributing to a further bad indication. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the low fuel sensor is incorporated in the fuel quantity indicating system and warns of a rapid fuel decrease or leak. The reporter said maintenance checked the maintenance diagnostic computer and found a '703' code for a fuel fault and after a 'bite' (built in test equipment) test the fault disappeared. The reporter stated no further maintenance action was taken and the fault did not occur again. The reporter said the aircraft was a canadair CL65 regional jet and was on a maintenance test flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CANADAIR CL65 REGIONAL JET ON INITIAL CLB AT 3500 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO A LOW FUEL SENSOR WARNING CAUSED BY A COMPUTER FAULT.

Narrative: ON A MAINT TEST FLT, DURING CLBOUT A FAULTY FUEL SENSOR INDICATED A RAPID FUEL LEAK. WHEN THIS WAS NOTED ONLY 500 LBS OF FUEL REMAINED. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND PROMPTLY LANDED. WHEN THE ACFT WAS PARKED THE FUEL SHOWED NORMAL QUANTITIES. A '703' CODE WAS FOUND IN THE MAINT DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER WHICH INDICATES A FUEL FAULT. OTHER FACTORS COULD HAVE BEEN THAT OUR LOWER THAN NORMAL FUEL LOAD MOVED AFT IN THE WING TANKS CONTRIBUTING TO A FURTHER BAD INDICATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE LOW FUEL SENSOR IS INCORPORATED IN THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATING SYS AND WARNS OF A RAPID FUEL DECREASE OR LEAK. THE RPTR SAID MAINT CHKED THE MAINT DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER AND FOUND A '703' CODE FOR A FUEL FAULT AND AFTER A 'BITE' (BUILT IN TEST EQUIP) TEST THE FAULT DISAPPEARED. THE RPTR STATED NO FURTHER MAINT ACTION WAS TAKEN AND THE FAULT DID NOT OCCUR AGAIN. THE RPTR SAID THE ACFT WAS A CANADAIR CL65 REGIONAL JET AND WAS ON A MAINT TEST FLT.

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.