<< >> NASA ASRS Report 601703, December 2003

A B737-300 made an overweight landing due to failure to burn fuel from the center tank. Center fuel pumps not switched on at before start checklist.

Attributes
ACN	601703
Time
Date	200312
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	601703
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	601701
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : center fuel quantity indicator 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
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I neglected to turn on the center fuel tank pumps during the cockpit preparation flow. The main tanks were full and there was 8000 pounds in the center tank. I did not notice that the switches were off during the before start checklist. I did not catch my mistake until just before commencing my descent. I landed with 7000 pounds in the center tank and 6500 pounds in each main tank. I contacted maintenance, wrote a discrepancy in the logbook and they performed an inspection. The result of the inspection was negative. The on-coming captain departed 10 mins later. I cannot think of any contributing factors to explain my mistake, except possibly complacency caused by repetition. When I performed the checklist, I assume that I saw what I was expecting to see. Additionally, I cannot remember checking the fuel quantity gauges once during the flight. I normally check balance and consumption regularly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 MADE AN OVERWT LNDG DUE TO FAILURE TO BURN FUEL FROM THE CTR TANK. CTR FUEL PUMPS NOT SWITCHED ON AT BEFORE START CHKLIST.

Narrative: I NEGLECTED TO TURN ON THE CTR FUEL TANK PUMPS DURING THE COCKPIT PREPARATION FLOW. THE MAIN TANKS WERE FULL AND THERE WAS 8000 LBS IN THE CTR TANK. I DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE SWITCHES WERE OFF DURING THE BEFORE START CHKLIST. I DID NOT CATCH MY MISTAKE UNTIL JUST BEFORE COMMENCING MY DSCNT. I LANDED WITH 7000 LBS IN THE CTR TANK AND 6500 LBS IN EACH MAIN TANK. I CONTACTED MAINT, WROTE A DISCREPANCY IN THE LOGBOOK AND THEY PERFORMED AN INSPECTION. THE RESULT OF THE INSPECTION WAS NEGATIVE. THE ON-COMING CAPT DEPARTED 10 MINS LATER. I CANNOT THINK OF ANY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO EXPLAIN MY MISTAKE, EXCEPT POSSIBLY COMPLACENCY CAUSED BY REPETITION. WHEN I PERFORMED THE CHKLIST, I ASSUME THAT I SAW WHAT I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE. ADDITIONALLY, I CANNOT REMEMBER CHKING THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES ONCE DURING THE FLT. I NORMALLY CHK BAL AND CONSUMPTION REGULARLY.

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.