Narrative:

During my IOE, I was hand flying to altitude per the request of the captain/check airman. The captain noticed that the center tank was empty and that we had a fuel imbalance. He selected the crossfeed on and turned off the right fuel pumps. After level off at FL350, I engaged the autoplt. Shortly after that, we both noticed that we were burning from both tanks. As we were working the problem, the right engine flamed out. I continued to fly the aircraft single engine while the captain restarted the engine by windmill. We accomplished the appropriate checklists and began to troubleshoot the fuel problem. It was found that the crossfeed valve circuit breaker had popped. In discussion with maintenance control, the circuit breaker was reset and no further problems were noted. The crossfeed valve was written up in the logbook. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated to correct a fuel imbalance it was decided to burn fuel from the left tank. The reporter said the crossfeed valve was opened and the right boost pumps were switched off. The reporter said the captain noted the crossfeed valve position indication was inoperative and believed the bulbs were burned out. The bulbs were replaced with no help. The reporter stated at this time, the right engine flamed out from fuel starvation as it was running on suction feed. The reporter said boeing will only assure suction engine fuel feed up to FL300. The reporter stated the right boost pumps were turned on and the right engine started. The reporter said the crossfeed valve circuit breaker was found tripped and with maintenance control's approval, was reset and remained set. The reporter stated the crossfeed valve was replaced by maintenance and found failed closed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-500 IN CRUISE AT FL350 OPENED CROSSFEED VALVE AND SHUT OFF R BOOST PUMPS TO CORRECT FUEL UNBALANCE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE R ENG FLAMED OUT.

Narrative: DURING MY IOE, I WAS HAND FLYING TO ALT PER THE REQUEST OF THE CAPT/CHECK AIRMAN. THE CAPT NOTICED THAT THE CTR TANK WAS EMPTY AND THAT WE HAD A FUEL IMBALANCE. HE SELECTED THE CROSSFEED ON AND TURNED OFF THE R FUEL PUMPS. AFTER LEVEL OFF AT FL350, I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, WE BOTH NOTICED THAT WE WERE BURNING FROM BOTH TANKS. AS WE WERE WORKING THE PROB, THE RIGHT ENG FLAMED OUT. I CONTINUED TO FLY THE ACFT SINGLE ENG WHILE THE CAPT RESTARTED THE ENG BY WINDMILL. WE ACCOMPLISHED THE APPROPRIATE CHECKLISTS AND BEGAN TO TROUBLESHOOT THE FUEL PROB. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CROSSFEED VALVE CIRCUIT BREAKER HAD POPPED. IN DISCUSSION WITH MAINT CTL, THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS RESET AND NO FURTHER PROBS WERE NOTED. THE CROSSFEED VALVE WAS WRITTEN UP IN THE LOGBOOK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED TO CORRECT A FUEL IMBALANCE IT WAS DECIDED TO BURN FUEL FROM THE L TANK. THE RPTR SAID THE CROSSFEED VALVE WAS OPENED AND THE R BOOST PUMPS WERE SWITCHED OFF. THE RPTR SAID THE CAPT NOTED THE CROSSFEED VALVE POSITION INDICATION WAS INOPERATIVE AND BELIEVED THE BULBS WERE BURNED OUT. THE BULBS WERE REPLACED WITH NO HELP. THE RPTR STATED AT THIS TIME, THE R ENG FLAMED OUT FROM FUEL STARVATION AS IT WAS RUNNING ON SUCTION FEED. THE RPTR SAID BOEING WILL ONLY ASSURE SUCTION ENG FUEL FEED UP TO FL300. THE RPTR STATED THE R BOOST PUMPS WERE TURNED ON AND THE R ENG STARTED. THE RPTR SAID THE CROSSFEED VALVE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS FOUND TRIPPED AND WITH MAINT CTL'S APPROVAL, WAS RESET AND REMAINED SET. THE RPTR STATED THE CROSSFEED VALVE WAS REPLACED BY MAINT AND FOUND FAILED CLOSED.

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.