Narrative:

About 1 hour into the flight, I began to xfeed to correct a 150 pound imbal. I punched off the master caution light and did not mention the xfeed operation to the first officer. I promptly was distraction and forgot the xfeed. Approximately 50 mins passed before I noticed it again, resulting in a 3000 pound imbal. We were about 50 mi from descent into pdx. I began correcting the imbal, we configured early, but we landed with a 2000 pound imbal. I called maintenance control to see if I needed any maintenance action, they said no. I proceeded with the next leg. Lessons I learned/relearned: 1) communicate what I'm doing, even 'little' things with the first officer so he can back me up. 2) at the first sign of a distraction, discontinue xfeed operations. 3) punching off the master caution for xfeed is probably a poor technique -- it removes a reminder for me and the first officer. 4) always have a backup reminder. 5) I should have modified the arrival (done a 360 degree turn or done extended downwind) to get the fuel the rest of the way into balance. I was too conscious of arrival flow. Supplemental information from acn 586007: after flying with the captain the entire month the communication between us was excellent. I am not sure when the captain started the xfeeding of fuel. In retrospect I need to expand my overhead panel scan in cruise other than temperature and pressurization to ensure this situation never happens again. And I also need to ensure when coming back from giving a PA or obtaining ATIS that no changes means no changes at all, ie, aircraft or communication changes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B733 FLT CREW FAILED TO MONITOR THE XFEED OF FUEL TO CORRECT A MINOR IMBAL. WHEN DISCOVERED THE IMBAL HAD GONE TO 3000 LBS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. LANDED WITH 2000 LB IMBAL IN EXCESS OF PUBLISHED MAX ALLOWABLE.

Narrative: ABOUT 1 HR INTO THE FLT, I BEGAN TO XFEED TO CORRECT A 150 LB IMBAL. I PUNCHED OFF THE MASTER CAUTION LIGHT AND DID NOT MENTION THE XFEED OP TO THE FO. I PROMPTLY WAS DISTR AND FORGOT THE XFEED. APPROX 50 MINS PASSED BEFORE I NOTICED IT AGAIN, RESULTING IN A 3000 LB IMBAL. WE WERE ABOUT 50 MI FROM DSCNT INTO PDX. I BEGAN CORRECTING THE IMBAL, WE CONFIGURED EARLY, BUT WE LANDED WITH A 2000 LB IMBAL. I CALLED MAINT CTL TO SEE IF I NEEDED ANY MAINT ACTION, THEY SAID NO. I PROCEEDED WITH THE NEXT LEG. LESSONS I LEARNED/RELEARNED: 1) COMMUNICATE WHAT I'M DOING, EVEN 'LITTLE' THINGS WITH THE FO SO HE CAN BACK ME UP. 2) AT THE FIRST SIGN OF A DISTR, DISCONTINUE XFEED OPS. 3) PUNCHING OFF THE MASTER CAUTION FOR XFEED IS PROBABLY A POOR TECHNIQUE -- IT REMOVES A REMINDER FOR ME AND THE FO. 4) ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP REMINDER. 5) I SHOULD HAVE MODIFIED THE ARR (DONE A 360 DEG TURN OR DONE EXTENDED DOWNWIND) TO GET THE FUEL THE REST OF THE WAY INTO BAL. I WAS TOO CONSCIOUS OF ARR FLOW. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 586007: AFTER FLYING WITH THE CAPT THE ENTIRE MONTH THE COM BTWN US WAS EXCELLENT. I AM NOT SURE WHEN THE CAPT STARTED THE XFEEDING OF FUEL. IN RETROSPECT I NEED TO EXPAND MY OVERHEAD PANEL SCAN IN CRUISE OTHER THAN TEMP AND PRESSURIZATION TO ENSURE THIS SIT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. AND I ALSO NEED TO ENSURE WHEN COMING BACK FROM GIVING A PA OR OBTAINING ATIS THAT NO CHANGES MEANS NO CHANGES AT ALL, IE, ACFT OR COM CHANGES.

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.