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A B737-500 was dispatched in non compliance with the center tank over-fueled. Tank required MEL special fueling procedures not accomplished.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 589911 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200308 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-500 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : maintenance ground : parked |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| Experience | maintenance lead technician : 3 maintenance supervisor : 10 maintenance technician : 9 |
| ASRS Report | 589911 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : 987 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance Chart Or Publication |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
The center fuel tank indication was inoperative and placarded per our MEL. 2 fuelers were involved. I was assigned to fuel aircraft with an unknown quantity per our MEL. The 1ST fueler was instructed to fuel center tank to 4500 pounds by operations. As I went to aircraft, a 2ND fueler was exiting the jetway and told me the center tank indicator was inoperative. I stated 'we know, it's on MEL.' when we went to the wing fueling station, the 1ST fueler already started fueling all 3 tanks at same time. The 2ND fueler stated he would have to calculate how much fuel was already added to center tank. I again told him we needed 4500 pounds in center tank. He went to the fueling cart and started to calculate fuel. During this time, we found the wing fueling cap was incorrect type. I went to maintenance office to install correct type fuel cap. When I returned, the fueler said he needed to finish fueling with the pumper truck. Then disconnected the fueling cart and connected pumping truck. I asked him how long it would take to complete job. He stated until his meter reached 900. When he was finished, he disconnected hose and I shut off center tank fuel valve and closed fueling door. The 1ST fueler delivered fuel slip to cockpit. He departed. I believed fueler was taking known fuel quantity in wing tanks, subtracting that from his meter reading to determine amount in center tank.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-500 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE CTR TANK OVER-FUELED. TANK REQUIRED MEL SPECIAL FUELING PROCS NOT ACCOMPLISHED.
Narrative: THE CTR FUEL TANK INDICATION WAS INOP AND PLACARDED PER OUR MEL. 2 FUELERS WERE INVOLVED. I WAS ASSIGNED TO FUEL ACFT WITH AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY PER OUR MEL. THE 1ST FUELER WAS INSTRUCTED TO FUEL CTR TANK TO 4500 LBS BY OPS. AS I WENT TO ACFT, A 2ND FUELER WAS EXITING THE JETWAY AND TOLD ME THE CTR TANK INDICATOR WAS INOP. I STATED 'WE KNOW, IT'S ON MEL.' WHEN WE WENT TO THE WING FUELING STATION, THE 1ST FUELER ALREADY STARTED FUELING ALL 3 TANKS AT SAME TIME. THE 2ND FUELER STATED HE WOULD HAVE TO CALCULATE HOW MUCH FUEL WAS ALREADY ADDED TO CTR TANK. I AGAIN TOLD HIM WE NEEDED 4500 LBS IN CTR TANK. HE WENT TO THE FUELING CART AND STARTED TO CALCULATE FUEL. DURING THIS TIME, WE FOUND THE WING FUELING CAP WAS INCORRECT TYPE. I WENT TO MAINT OFFICE TO INSTALL CORRECT TYPE FUEL CAP. WHEN I RETURNED, THE FUELER SAID HE NEEDED TO FINISH FUELING WITH THE PUMPER TRUCK. THEN DISCONNECTED THE FUELING CART AND CONNECTED PUMPING TRUCK. I ASKED HIM HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO COMPLETE JOB. HE STATED UNTIL HIS METER REACHED 900. WHEN HE WAS FINISHED, HE DISCONNECTED HOSE AND I SHUT OFF CTR TANK FUEL VALVE AND CLOSED FUELING DOOR. THE 1ST FUELER DELIVERED FUEL SLIP TO COCKPIT. HE DEPARTED. I BELIEVED FUELER WAS TAKING KNOWN FUEL QUANTITY IN WING TANKS, SUBTRACTING THAT FROM HIS METER READING TO DETERMINE AMOUNT IN CTR TANK.
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.