Narrative:

We were dispatched with the fuel system controller inoperative. A highly unusual situation. While in cruise en route between ZZZ-xyz, a disparity was noticed between the fuel quantities in #1, #2, and #3 tanks. We were just prior to our entry point for russian overflt and I wanted everything to be in order for this phase of flight. I began a fuel xfer from #1 and #3 tanks to #2 engine. As the xfeed was nearing its conclusion, a sudden flurry of radio calls created a distraction. I was in the right seat as a line check airman giving IOE to a new captain. Zan called for a radio check on another frequency. I tuned #2 VHF to this frequency and made the check. It took several calls to get a good check. The IOE captain was monitoring center on VHF #1. After the radio check, I announced I was going to terminate the fuel xfer. Just as I reached up to turn on the #2 tank pump for fuel feed to #2 engine, ATC called with our russian handoff. As my finger went forward to press the tank pump, I looked down to copy the handoff frequency. Somehow I pushed the xfeed switch next to the pump switch instead. (A contributing factor was that a guard that was supposed to be on the pump switch was left off by maintenance when they changed the controller the previous flight.) had the guard been in place, I am confident this would not have occurred. The #2 engine rolled back. As I saw this, I looked up and selected #2 tank pump to 'on,' ignition to 'override' and #2 returned to operation. We continued a normal flight to destination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11 IN CRUISE AT FL350 WAS FEEDING ALL ENGS FROM #1 AND #3 TANKS WITH #2 TANK BOOST PUMPS OFF WHEN THE XFEED VALVE WAS INADVERTENTLY CLOSED CAUSING #2 ENG TO SPOOL DOWN.

Narrative: WE WERE DISPATCHED WITH THE FUEL SYS CONTROLLER INOP. A HIGHLY UNUSUAL SIT. WHILE IN CRUISE ENRTE BTWN ZZZ-XYZ, A DISPARITY WAS NOTICED BTWN THE FUEL QUANTITIES IN #1, #2, AND #3 TANKS. WE WERE JUST PRIOR TO OUR ENTRY POINT FOR RUSSIAN OVERFLT AND I WANTED EVERYTHING TO BE IN ORDER FOR THIS PHASE OF FLT. I BEGAN A FUEL XFER FROM #1 AND #3 TANKS TO #2 ENG. AS THE XFEED WAS NEARING ITS CONCLUSION, A SUDDEN FLURRY OF RADIO CALLS CREATED A DISTR. I WAS IN THE R SEAT AS A LINE CHK AIRMAN GIVING IOE TO A NEW CAPT. ZAN CALLED FOR A RADIO CHK ON ANOTHER FREQ. I TUNED #2 VHF TO THIS FREQ AND MADE THE CHK. IT TOOK SEVERAL CALLS TO GET A GOOD CHK. THE IOE CAPT WAS MONITORING CTR ON VHF #1. AFTER THE RADIO CHK, I ANNOUNCED I WAS GOING TO TERMINATE THE FUEL XFER. JUST AS I REACHED UP TO TURN ON THE #2 TANK PUMP FOR FUEL FEED TO #2 ENG, ATC CALLED WITH OUR RUSSIAN HDOF. AS MY FINGER WENT FORWARD TO PRESS THE TANK PUMP, I LOOKED DOWN TO COPY THE HDOF FREQ. SOMEHOW I PUSHED THE XFEED SWITCH NEXT TO THE PUMP SWITCH INSTEAD. (A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT A GUARD THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE PUMP SWITCH WAS LEFT OFF BY MAINT WHEN THEY CHANGED THE CONTROLLER THE PREVIOUS FLT.) HAD THE GUARD BEEN IN PLACE, I AM CONFIDENT THIS WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. THE #2 ENG ROLLED BACK. AS I SAW THIS, I LOOKED UP AND SELECTED #2 TANK PUMP TO 'ON,' IGNITION TO 'OVERRIDE' AND #2 RETURNED TO OP. WE CONTINUED A NORMAL FLT TO DEST.

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.