Narrative:

While xfeeding in an attempt to correct a 400 pound fuel imbal during the terminal arrival phase of flight, numerous distrs and 'taskings' (multiple holding patterns, extensive vectoring, possible diversion alternate qualification and determination, etc) distraction the crew from monitoring the xfeeding. A larger opposite imbal resulted. The discrepancy was discovered and corrective action was initiated. Due to the minimum fuel remaining, I elected to invoke my captain's emergency authority/authorized and land the aircraft with a fuel imbal exceeding the limitations. The left tank had 3850 pounds and the right tank contained 1350 pounds. While not monitoring the xfeeding created this situation, I feel the lack of any visual indications of the xfeeding process (view of xfeed lever blocked by the throttle quadrant and no annunciation) on the S80 contributed to the problem. From this point on, I consider the use of xfeeding on the same level as an emergency operation. Supplemental information from acn 622882: we elected to balance the fuel through fuel xfer. Shortly after we began xferring fuel, ATC informed us of holding instructions into ewr due to runway closure. On descent and approach we were given 2 separate holding patterns and multiple vectors. Our workload was higher than normal as we entered and exited holding patterns, determined possible alternates, briefed crew and passenger and completed checklists for approach and landing. Though we were constantly assessing our fuel situation (we landed with 5500 pounds total fuel on board) for a possible divert, we both fixated on total fuel and not fuel balance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD-S80 FLT CREW ADMITTED THAT, AFTER A FUEL IMBAL HAD BEEN DETECTED DURING APCH TO EWR, THEY FAILED TO MONITOR THE XFEED CONFIGN WHICH RESULTED IN THE CAPT'S INVOKING EMER AUTH IN ORDER TO LAND.

Narrative: WHILE XFEEDING IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT A 400 LB FUEL IMBAL DURING THE TERMINAL ARR PHASE OF FLT, NUMEROUS DISTRS AND 'TASKINGS' (MULTIPLE HOLDING PATTERNS, EXTENSIVE VECTORING, POSSIBLE DIVERSION ALTERNATE QUALIFICATION AND DETERMINATION, ETC) DISTR THE CREW FROM MONITORING THE XFEEDING. A LARGER OPPOSITE IMBAL RESULTED. THE DISCREPANCY WAS DISCOVERED AND CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS INITIATED. DUE TO THE MINIMUM FUEL REMAINING, I ELECTED TO INVOKE MY CAPT'S EMER AUTH AND LAND THE ACFT WITH A FUEL IMBAL EXCEEDING THE LIMITATIONS. THE L TANK HAD 3850 LBS AND THE R TANK CONTAINED 1350 LBS. WHILE NOT MONITORING THE XFEEDING CREATED THIS SIT, I FEEL THE LACK OF ANY VISUAL INDICATIONS OF THE XFEEDING PROCESS (VIEW OF XFEED LEVER BLOCKED BY THE THROTTLE QUADRANT AND NO ANNUNCIATION) ON THE S80 CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROB. FROM THIS POINT ON, I CONSIDER THE USE OF XFEEDING ON THE SAME LEVEL AS AN EMER OP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 622882: WE ELECTED TO BAL THE FUEL THROUGH FUEL XFER. SHORTLY AFTER WE BEGAN XFERRING FUEL, ATC INFORMED US OF HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS INTO EWR DUE TO RWY CLOSURE. ON DSCNT AND APCH WE WERE GIVEN 2 SEPARATE HOLDING PATTERNS AND MULTIPLE VECTORS. OUR WORKLOAD WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL AS WE ENTERED AND EXITED HOLDING PATTERNS, DETERMINED POSSIBLE ALTERNATES, BRIEFED CREW AND PAX AND COMPLETED CHKLISTS FOR APCH AND LNDG. THOUGH WE WERE CONSTANTLY ASSESSING OUR FUEL SIT (WE LANDED WITH 5500 LBS TOTAL FUEL ON BOARD) FOR A POSSIBLE DIVERT, WE BOTH FIXATED ON TOTAL FUEL AND NOT FUEL BAL.

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.