Narrative:

During preflight APU would not start. At the same time, operations supervisor came into the cockpit to tell us we had a fuel spill outside, fire trucks en route, etc. Air carrier X mechanic MEL'ed the APU for us, and during the ensuing activity surrounding the fuel spill (it was a large spill, spanning the distance of our wingspan). I forgot to call dispatch to amend our release. There was some question as to whether the fuel spill was caused by our aircraft, or the fueler. The air carrier X mechanic gave us a 'clean bill of health' for our fuel system. We started engines with external air and electrics at the gate and left for sdf (1 hour late). At sdf, I started the APU out of habit and it ran normally. (Since it was hot and humid, we used the APU to start the engines and save time leaving sdf.) the fuel gauges showed a 3000 pound split on the ground at sdf, so I went out and had the tanks dripped. My first officer cycled the fuel quantity indicator breaker and the gauges indicated normal. I called maintenance before push because I thought they may want to check the history on the aircraft's fuel system. The gauges/fuel system were all working normally and we left for bwi. Upon arriving in bwi, the dispatch report reflected erroneous information entered in the 'delay information' box by the operations agent in sdf. The description makes it look as though we flew with inoperative gauges/fuel system problems, which we did not. The comments also reveal we did not do an external air start at the gate in sdf. I realize this is my fault, and accept responsibility. In my defense, we did not have any restrs from the QRH or MEL notes restricting us from starting the APU (ie, no overspd lights, overheat/detection inoperative). It was a mistake, but once operating normally was used for passenger convenience and comfort, as well as to try to make up some of our lost time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B737-200 PIC USED HIS MEL'ED APU AT A DOWN STATION IN CONFLICT WITH THE CONCEPTS OF THE MEL REQUIREMENTS BUT INCURRED A DELAY RPT FOR AN ALLEGED FUEL EQUIP PROB THAT WAS CLRED PRIOR TO DEP SDF, KY.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT APU WOULD NOT START. AT THE SAME TIME, OPS SUPVR CAME INTO THE COCKPIT TO TELL US WE HAD A FUEL SPILL OUTSIDE, FIRE TRUCKS ENRTE, ETC. ACR X MECH MEL'ED THE APU FOR US, AND DURING THE ENSUING ACTIVITY SURROUNDING THE FUEL SPILL (IT WAS A LARGE SPILL, SPANNING THE DISTANCE OF OUR WINGSPAN). I FORGOT TO CALL DISPATCH TO AMEND OUR RELEASE. THERE WAS SOME QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THE FUEL SPILL WAS CAUSED BY OUR ACFT, OR THE FUELER. THE ACR X MECH GAVE US A 'CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH' FOR OUR FUEL SYS. WE STARTED ENGS WITH EXTERNAL AIR AND ELECTRICS AT THE GATE AND LEFT FOR SDF (1 HR LATE). AT SDF, I STARTED THE APU OUT OF HABIT AND IT RAN NORMALLY. (SINCE IT WAS HOT AND HUMID, WE USED THE APU TO START THE ENGS AND SAVE TIME LEAVING SDF.) THE FUEL GAUGES SHOWED A 3000 LB SPLIT ON THE GND AT SDF, SO I WENT OUT AND HAD THE TANKS DRIPPED. MY FO CYCLED THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR BREAKER AND THE GAUGES INDICATED NORMAL. I CALLED MAINT BEFORE PUSH BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY MAY WANT TO CHK THE HISTORY ON THE ACFT'S FUEL SYS. THE GAUGES/FUEL SYS WERE ALL WORKING NORMALLY AND WE LEFT FOR BWI. UPON ARRIVING IN BWI, THE DISPATCH RPT REFLECTED ERRONEOUS INFO ENTERED IN THE 'DELAY INFO' BOX BY THE OPS AGENT IN SDF. THE DESCRIPTION MAKES IT LOOK AS THOUGH WE FLEW WITH INOP GAUGES/FUEL SYS PROBS, WHICH WE DID NOT. THE COMMENTS ALSO REVEAL WE DID NOT DO AN EXTERNAL AIR START AT THE GATE IN SDF. I REALIZE THIS IS MY FAULT, AND ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. IN MY DEFENSE, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY RESTRS FROM THE QRH OR MEL NOTES RESTRICTING US FROM STARTING THE APU (IE, NO OVERSPD LIGHTS, OVERHEAT/DETECTION INOP). IT WAS A MISTAKE, BUT ONCE OPERATING NORMALLY WAS USED FOR PAX CONVENIENCE AND COMFORT, AS WELL AS TO TRY TO MAKE UP SOME OF OUR LOST TIME.

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.