A B757-200 in cruise at FL370 center fuel tank burned down to zero in non compliance with airworthiness directive. Due to crew distraction in WX avoidance.

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Attributes
ACN	573745
Time
Date	200302
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : gck.vortac
State Reference	KS
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 5600
ASRS Report	573745
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ctr tank low level warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Center fuel tank fueled to 5500 pounds. Was used down to zero due to diversion of attention during climb and cruise on several occasions requiring numerous changes in altitudes and speeds as a result of moderate turbulence. 1000 pounds was to be the minimum total in the tank according to airworthiness directive. Too many distrs involving flying the aircraft through various turbulent altitudes diverted our attention to this supplemental procedure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 IN CRUISE AT FL370 CTR FUEL TANK BURNED DOWN TO ZERO IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE. DUE TO CREW DISTR IN WX AVOIDANCE.

Narrative: CTR FUEL TANK FUELED TO 5500 LBS. WAS USED DOWN TO ZERO DUE TO DIVERSION OF ATTN DURING CLB AND CRUISE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REQUIRING NUMEROUS CHANGES IN ALTS AND SPDS AS A RESULT OF MODERATE TURB. 1000 LBS WAS TO BE THE MINIMUM TOTAL IN THE TANK ACCORDING TO AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE. TOO MANY DISTRS INVOLVING FLYING THE ACFT THROUGH VARIOUS TURBULENT ALTS DIVERTED OUR ATTN TO THIS SUPPLEMENTAL PROC.

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.