Narrative:

On dec/wed/05 I had a callout to an aircraft for an error on #3 fuel quantity. Performed procedures to clear error on tank. No help. So I told the fueler that we were going to have to put a known quantity in the #3 fuel tank. The fueler told me that a fuel load of 26K was needed. The fueler then informed me that he needed to put 8700 pounds in all 3 tanks for the load so I drained the #3 tank; put fuel from #3 tank into the #1 and #2 tanks. Told fueler that we needed a known quantity in the #3 tank in gallons that would equal 8700 pounds. He said ok. I had to leave to work other write-up on my other planes that night. Came back to look at the fuel gauges; found #1 to have approximately 11600 pounds and #2 approximately 8700 pounds. Fuel ticket said that #3 tank had approximately 6000 pounds; so I xferred fuel and performed drip stick procedures in fueling manual for B727. Found drip stick to be at 16500 pounds that equals approximately 8350 pounds on that I deferred #3 tank quantity. Aircraft went in to ZZZ1 with a write-up that at FL240 and 340 KTS at 0 degrees trim it takes 20 degrees right aileron to maintain level flight (1.5 trim on rudder). Mechanics in ZZZ1 found 3500 pounds approximately difference in wing tanks. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated with a 3500 pound difference between #1 tank and #3 tank; the fueling error should have been obvious after takeoff instead of not becoming apparent until FL240 and 340 KTS. The reporter believes the problem was fuel tank burn and tank management by the crew. The proper procedures were followed per the fueling manual.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 WITH #3 FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR INOP WAS FUELED PER SPECIAL FUELING PROCS. AIRPLANE HAD AN OUT OF TRIM CONDITION. FOUND 3500 LBS DIFFERENCE BTWN WING TANKS.

Narrative: ON DEC/WED/05 I HAD A CALLOUT TO AN ACFT FOR AN ERROR ON #3 FUEL QUANTITY. PERFORMED PROCS TO CLR ERROR ON TANK. NO HELP. SO I TOLD THE FUELER THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT A KNOWN QUANTITY IN THE #3 FUEL TANK. THE FUELER TOLD ME THAT A FUEL LOAD OF 26K WAS NEEDED. THE FUELER THEN INFORMED ME THAT HE NEEDED TO PUT 8700 LBS IN ALL 3 TANKS FOR THE LOAD SO I DRAINED THE #3 TANK; PUT FUEL FROM #3 TANK INTO THE #1 AND #2 TANKS. TOLD FUELER THAT WE NEEDED A KNOWN QUANTITY IN THE #3 TANK IN GALLONS THAT WOULD EQUAL 8700 LBS. HE SAID OK. I HAD TO LEAVE TO WORK OTHER WRITE-UP ON MY OTHER PLANES THAT NIGHT. CAME BACK TO LOOK AT THE FUEL GAUGES; FOUND #1 TO HAVE APPROX 11600 LBS AND #2 APPROX 8700 LBS. FUEL TICKET SAID THAT #3 TANK HAD APPROX 6000 LBS; SO I XFERRED FUEL AND PERFORMED DRIP STICK PROCS IN FUELING MANUAL FOR B727. FOUND DRIP STICK TO BE AT 16500 LBS THAT EQUALS APPROX 8350 LBS ON THAT I DEFERRED #3 TANK QUANTITY. ACFT WENT IN TO ZZZ1 WITH A WRITE-UP THAT AT FL240 AND 340 KTS AT 0 DEGS TRIM IT TAKES 20 DEGS R AILERON TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLT (1.5 TRIM ON RUDDER). MECHS IN ZZZ1 FOUND 3500 LBS APPROX DIFFERENCE IN WING TANKS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED WITH A 3500 LB DIFFERENCE BTWN #1 TANK AND #3 TANK; THE FUELING ERROR SHOULD HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS AFTER TKOF INSTEAD OF NOT BECOMING APPARENT UNTIL FL240 AND 340 KTS. THE RPTR BELIEVES THE PROB WAS FUEL TANK BURN AND TANK MGMNT BY THE CREW. THE PROPER PROCS WERE FOLLOWED PER THE FUELING MANUAL.

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.