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B737-300 flight crew found after departure that they took off without reserve fuel since the fuel was unusable from the tank with the deferred inoperative fuel pump.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 543771 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200204 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : msp.airport |
| State Reference | MN |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 543771 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel quantity ind other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Flight msp to den. On preflight inspection, I found the forward boost pump on #2 main tank to be inoperative. In coordination with maintenance control, we elected to defer repair in accordance with the MEL #28-1. In the MEL, it stipulates that the pump can be deferred if several conditions are met. One of these conditions is that the fuel in that tank not be permitted to go below 1800 pounds. I coordination with our dispatch and we agreed that our planned fuel load of 14500 pounds would suffice, taking into consideration planned burn, reserve fuel and an additional 1000 pounds for contingencies. With that, we departed msp. En route, I was more curious so I began to read further into the MEL and special procedures. At the bottom of the page in the specification procedures, there was a note that stipulated that the previously mentioned 1800 pounds of fuel was actually to be considered unusable fuel, not just planned reserve. This discrepancy led us into a low fuel status prior to our arrival in den.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-300 FLC FOUND AFTER DEP THAT THEY TOOK OFF WITHOUT RESERVE FUEL SINCE THE FUEL WAS UNUSABLE FROM THE TANK WITH THE DEFERRED INOP FUEL PUMP.
Narrative: FLT MSP TO DEN. ON PREFLT INSPECTION, I FOUND THE FORWARD BOOST PUMP ON #2 MAIN TANK TO BE INOP. IN COORD WITH MAINT CTL, WE ELECTED TO DEFER REPAIR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MEL #28-1. IN THE MEL, IT STIPULATES THAT THE PUMP CAN BE DEFERRED IF SEVERAL CONDITIONS ARE MET. ONE OF THESE CONDITIONS IS THAT THE FUEL IN THAT TANK NOT BE PERMITTED TO GO BELOW 1800 LBS. I COORD WITH OUR DISPATCH AND WE AGREED THAT OUR PLANNED FUEL LOAD OF 14500 LBS WOULD SUFFICE, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION PLANNED BURN, RESERVE FUEL AND AN ADDITIONAL 1000 LBS FOR CONTINGENCIES. WITH THAT, WE DEPARTED MSP. ENRTE, I WAS MORE CURIOUS SO I BEGAN TO READ FURTHER INTO THE MEL AND SPECIAL PROCS. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE IN THE SPEC PROCS, THERE WAS A NOTE THAT STIPULATED THAT THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED 1800 LBS OF FUEL WAS ACTUALLY TO BE CONSIDERED UNUSABLE FUEL, NOT JUST PLANNED RESERVE. THIS DISCREPANCY LED US INTO A LOW FUEL STATUS PRIOR TO OUR ARR IN DEN.
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.