A B737-400 was dispatched with the center tank fuel quantity indication inoperative per the MEL. Special procedure to disconnect fuel summation unit not accomplished.

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Attributes
ACN	657884
Time
Date	200505
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	657884
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : center tank fuel qty ind other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Maintenance control would not give an MEL for the discrepancy. They said this was a soft failure. Verified in the maintenance manual that this was a hard failure. Advised maintenance control of findings and that the center tank would have to be de-fueled so that quantity could be verified. This discrepancy occurred after the center tank was fueled. Management notified; and requested a de-fuel truck. We were advised that it would be 1 hour before they could respond. At that point; I was told to request that the flight crew start engines at the gate to burn off fuel that was remaining in the tank. This was accomplished. I was focused on getting the aircraft de-fueled as soon as possible. Also; passenger were on board throughout this process. During the deferral process; I missed disconnecting the fuel summation unit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE CTR TANK FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION INOP PER THE MEL. SPECIAL PROC TO DISCONNECT FUEL SUMMATION UNIT NOT ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: MAINT CTL WOULD NOT GIVE AN MEL FOR THE DISCREPANCY. THEY SAID THIS WAS A SOFT FAILURE. VERIFIED IN THE MAINT MANUAL THAT THIS WAS A HARD FAILURE. ADVISED MAINT CTL OF FINDINGS AND THAT THE CTR TANK WOULD HAVE TO BE DE-FUELED SO THAT QUANTITY COULD BE VERIFIED. THIS DISCREPANCY OCCURRED AFTER THE CTR TANK WAS FUELED. MGMNT NOTIFIED; AND REQUESTED A DE-FUEL TRUCK. WE WERE ADVISED THAT IT WOULD BE 1 HR BEFORE THEY COULD RESPOND. AT THAT POINT; I WAS TOLD TO REQUEST THAT THE FLT CREW START ENGS AT THE GATE TO BURN OFF FUEL THAT WAS REMAINING IN THE TANK. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED. I WAS FOCUSED ON GETTING THE ACFT DE-FUELED ASAP. ALSO; PAX WERE ON BOARD THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. DURING THE DEFERRAL PROCESS; I MISSED DISCONNECTING THE FUEL SUMMATION UNIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.