A CRJ200 pilot reports a fuel spill following miscoms with the fuelers who subsequently left a fuel ...

Attributes
ACN	671601
Time
Date	200509
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5560 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	671601
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Airport
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

During preflight and just prior to boarding; there was a fuel spill. The fueler told us that he couldn't get any more fuel in the right side. The tanks were reading 4500 right and 4600 left and 25 pounds center. We called up maintenance and told him that he needed to gravity fuel the right. We then were told by what we perceived to be the fueling supervisor that the plane was on a slight grade. We then turned on gravity xflow to balance out the tanks; assuming he told the normal fueler. The normal or first fueler was not told and he left the cap off the right tank. We then received notice that the fuel was spilling on the right side. We stopped gravity xflow; delayed boarding and had the fuel spill cleaned. We told the ramp agent to push us back away from the spill. We also contacted maintenance. After repositioning; we taxied and departed. We thought the second fueler was a supervisor and he would tell the first fueler. However; he didn't communicate with the first fueler.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 PLT RPTS A FUEL SPILL FOLLOWING MISCOMS WITH THE FUELERS WHO SUBSEQUENTLY LEFT A FUEL TANK CAP OFF WHILE THE FLT CREW GRAVITY FED FROM THE OPPOSITE WING TANK.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT AND JUST PRIOR TO BOARDING; THERE WAS A FUEL SPILL. THE FUELER TOLD US THAT HE COULDN'T GET ANY MORE FUEL IN THE R SIDE. THE TANKS WERE READING 4500 R AND 4600 L AND 25 LBS CTR. WE CALLED UP MAINT AND TOLD HIM THAT HE NEEDED TO GRAVITY FUEL THE R. WE THEN WERE TOLD BY WHAT WE PERCEIVED TO BE THE FUELING SUPVR THAT THE PLANE WAS ON A SLIGHT GRADE. WE THEN TURNED ON GRAVITY XFLOW TO BAL OUT THE TANKS; ASSUMING HE TOLD THE NORMAL FUELER. THE NORMAL OR FIRST FUELER WAS NOT TOLD AND HE LEFT THE CAP OFF THE R TANK. WE THEN RECEIVED NOTICE THAT THE FUEL WAS SPILLING ON THE R SIDE. WE STOPPED GRAVITY XFLOW; DELAYED BOARDING AND HAD THE FUEL SPILL CLEANED. WE TOLD THE RAMP AGENT TO PUSH US BACK AWAY FROM THE SPILL. WE ALSO CONTACTED MAINT. AFTER REPOSITIONING; WE TAXIED AND DEPARTED. WE THOUGHT THE SECOND FUELER WAS A SUPVR AND HE WOULD TELL THE FIRST FUELER. HOWEVER; HE DIDN'T COMMUNICATE WITH THE FIRST FUELER.

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.

A CRJ200 pilot reports a fuel spill following miscoms with the fuelers who subsequently left a fuel tank cap off while the flight crew gravity fed from the opposite wing tank.