A DC9 flight crew were advised to have center fuel tank 'stuck' and checked by maintenance at lan, w...

Attributes
ACN	453040
Time
Date	199910
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lan.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	453040
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	453041
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Problem: we had an inoperative center tank fuel gauge. We were supposed to have it 'stuck' to confirm it was empty (we found this out later) and an entry made in logbook. As we only had 1000 pounds in center tank originally and we burned it off, both center tank fuel pumps worked and were on till wing tanks burned down to 8500 pounds, I knew the center tank was empty. When gate agent said we needed center tank checked by maintenance, I said not to (maintenance wasn't there and we were already late) as it was empty, we had a fuel slip and we took on no fuel. It wasn't logical to waste time on a fuel tank check. All fuel was accounted for. On top of that, the center tank fuel pump was operating normally. All indications were normal on the leg to lansing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 FLC WERE ADVISED TO HAVE CTR FUEL TANK 'STUCK' AND CHKED BY MAINT AT LAN, WHICH THEY IGNORED.

Narrative: PROB: WE HAD AN INOP CTR TANK FUEL GAUGE. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT 'STUCK' TO CONFIRM IT WAS EMPTY (WE FOUND THIS OUT LATER) AND AN ENTRY MADE IN LOGBOOK. AS WE ONLY HAD 1000 LBS IN CTR TANK ORIGINALLY AND WE BURNED IT OFF, BOTH CTR TANK FUEL PUMPS WORKED AND WERE ON TILL WING TANKS BURNED DOWN TO 8500 LBS, I KNEW THE CTR TANK WAS EMPTY. WHEN GATE AGENT SAID WE NEEDED CTR TANK CHKED BY MAINT, I SAID NOT TO (MAINT WASN'T THERE AND WE WERE ALREADY LATE) AS IT WAS EMPTY, WE HAD A FUEL SLIP AND WE TOOK ON NO FUEL. IT WASN'T LOGICAL TO WASTE TIME ON A FUEL TANK CHK. ALL FUEL WAS ACCOUNTED FOR. ON TOP OF THAT, THE CTR TANK FUEL PUMP WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL ON THE LEG TO LANSING.

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.

A DC9 flight crew were advised to have center fuel tank 'stuck' and checked by maintenance at lan, which they ignored.