Unexplained fuel imbal, xfer from the center tank, is cause for the PIC of a B727 to return land at ...

Attributes
ACN	541270
Time
Date	200201
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zma.artcc
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 30000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc artcc : muph.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	541270
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauges other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Climbing through FL300, the flight engineer stated a loss of fuel from center tank. Total fuel showed same as flight plan. However, due to the fuel imbal and the unexplainable fuel xfer, the captain elected to return to mia. I declared an emergency with havana center. Standard cockpit procedures while handling an emergency/abnormality was followed. The approach and landing in mia was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNEXPLAINED FUEL IMBAL, XFER FROM THE CTR TANK, IS CAUSE FOR THE PIC OF A B727 TO RETURN LAND AT MIA, FL.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH FL300, THE FE STATED A LOSS OF FUEL FROM CTR TANK. TOTAL FUEL SHOWED SAME AS FLT PLAN. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE FUEL IMBAL AND THE UNEXPLAINABLE FUEL XFER, THE CAPT ELECTED TO RETURN TO MIA. I DECLARED AN EMER WITH HAVANA CTR. STANDARD COCKPIT PROCS WHILE HANDLING AN EMER/ABNORMALITY WAS FOLLOWED. THE APCH AND LNDG IN MIA WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.

Unexplained fuel imbal, xfer from the center tank, is cause for the PIC of a B727 to return land at mia, fl.