B767 has correctable fuel imbal when carrying ballast fuel.

Attributes
ACN	451642
Time
Date	199910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	special use airspace : zlc.moa
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	451642
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	451643
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Dispatched with main tank full and approximately 1200 pounds center tank ballast MEL fuel. Noted and canceled fuel confign caution assuming ballast fuel with pumps off. Normal burnoff recorded for over 4 hours including lateral balance, with no xfeeding or center tank burn, although center tank quantity increased a few hundred pounds. In between waypoints noticed center tank fuel at 1800 pounds and lateral fuel imbal at 4900 pounds -- exceeding airframe limit. Total burn normal, so did not consider leak. Noticed also that xfeed was open but no pumps had been turned off. Initiated xfeed and returned to lateral balance and burned approximately 800 pounds from center tank. On descent at 11000 ft, noted fuel quantity lateral balance and 1200 pounds center tank quantity. Center tank pumps off. At shutdown at gate lateral balance but only 300 pounds center tank quantity. Log entry and brief of maintenance and technical services completed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 HAS CORRECTABLE FUEL IMBAL WHEN CARRYING BALLAST FUEL.

Narrative: DISPATCHED WITH MAIN TANK FULL AND APPROX 1200 LBS CTR TANK BALLAST MEL FUEL. NOTED AND CANCELED FUEL CONFIGN CAUTION ASSUMING BALLAST FUEL WITH PUMPS OFF. NORMAL BURNOFF RECORDED FOR OVER 4 HRS INCLUDING LATERAL BAL, WITH NO XFEEDING OR CTR TANK BURN, ALTHOUGH CTR TANK QUANTITY INCREASED A FEW HUNDRED LBS. IN BTWN WAYPOINTS NOTICED CTR TANK FUEL AT 1800 LBS AND LATERAL FUEL IMBAL AT 4900 LBS -- EXCEEDING AIRFRAME LIMIT. TOTAL BURN NORMAL, SO DID NOT CONSIDER LEAK. NOTICED ALSO THAT XFEED WAS OPEN BUT NO PUMPS HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. INITIATED XFEED AND RETURNED TO LATERAL BAL AND BURNED APPROX 800 LBS FROM CTR TANK. ON DSCNT AT 11000 FT, NOTED FUEL QUANTITY LATERAL BAL AND 1200 LBS CTR TANK QUANTITY. CTR TANK PUMPS OFF. AT SHUTDOWN AT GATE LATERAL BAL BUT ONLY 300 LBS CTR TANK QUANTITY. LOG ENTRY AND BRIEF OF MAINT AND TECHNICAL SVCS COMPLETED.

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.