An MD80 first officer's report on main fuel tank imbal condition occurring after departure from stl,...

Attributes
ACN	537593
Time
Date	200201
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
ASRS Report	537593
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauges other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : overrode automation other
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Fuel imbal between left and right main tanks was detected passing 10000 ft and upon completion of after takeoff checklist, performed xfeeding from left to right tanks to restore balance. However, each time xfeeding stopped, left main tank quantity would rapidly increase while right tank quantity dropped. Declared an emergency with ZKC and requested return back to stl. ZKC sent us to ZAU. Repeated our emergency declaration. Xferred back to ZKC and given 180 degree turn and vectors back to stl. Continued to xfeed in order to maintain tanks within balance. Landed stl with no further problems. Terminated emergency at completion of landing roll.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FO'S RPT ON MAIN FUEL TANK IMBAL CONDITION OCCURRING AFTER DEP FROM STL, MO.

Narrative: FUEL IMBAL BTWN L AND R MAIN TANKS WAS DETECTED PASSING 10000 FT AND UPON COMPLETION OF AFTER TKOF CHKLIST, PERFORMED XFEEDING FROM L TO R TANKS TO RESTORE BAL. HOWEVER, EACH TIME XFEEDING STOPPED, L MAIN TANK QUANTITY WOULD RAPIDLY INCREASE WHILE R TANK QUANTITY DROPPED. DECLARED AN EMER WITH ZKC AND REQUESTED RETURN BACK TO STL. ZKC SENT US TO ZAU. REPEATED OUR EMER DECLARATION. XFERRED BACK TO ZKC AND GIVEN 180 DEG TURN AND VECTORS BACK TO STL. CONTINUED TO XFEED IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN TANKS WITHIN BAL. LANDED STL WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. TERMINATED EMER AT COMPLETION OF LNDG ROLL.

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.

An MD80 first officer's report on main fuel tank imbal condition occurring after departure from stl, mo.