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A320 flight departed with deferred fuel transfer valve. During flight; crew discovered that a portion of their fuel was unusable unless inoperative valve was opened. Maintenance was consulted and valve was opened.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 739759 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200705 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 25 |
| ASRS Report | 739759 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel |
| ASRS Report | 739472 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Chart Or Publication |
| Primary Problem | Chart Or Publication |
Narrative:
After power xfer from external power to APU power; we got the following ECAM: fuel-right xfer valve closed. Maintenance was called by the captain to troubleshoot. They got the appropriate instructions and ran the procedure. They opened the valves and closed them again; xferring all fuel to the inboard tanks. We got a copy of the new MEL; and all required paperwork for departure. There were no pilot required items for this MEL. After takeoff; while doing our en route checks; we noticed that there was fuel in the outboard tanks. Our ECAM still stated that the outboard fuel was unusable. Supplemental information from acn 739472: maintenance said to cycle circuit breakers to open valves. Crew said valves did open but MEL placard was incorrect and maintenance concurred. Original placard did not state that dispatch had to alert load planning to use alternate type code or for circuit breakers to be cycled; so I did not notify load planning. Following flts on that plane had new MEL placard issued where I did notify load planning correctly.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A320 FLT DEPARTED WITH DEFERRED FUEL TRANSFER VALVE. DURING FLT; CREW DISCOVERED THAT A PORTION OF THEIR FUEL WAS UNUSABLE UNLESS INOP VALVE WAS OPENED. MAINT WAS CONSULTED AND VALVE WAS OPENED.
Narrative: AFTER PWR XFER FROM EXTERNAL PWR TO APU PWR; WE GOT THE FOLLOWING ECAM: FUEL-R XFER VALVE CLOSED. MAINT WAS CALLED BY THE CAPT TO TROUBLESHOOT. THEY GOT THE APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTIONS AND RAN THE PROC. THEY OPENED THE VALVES AND CLOSED THEM AGAIN; XFERRING ALL FUEL TO THE INBOARD TANKS. WE GOT A COPY OF THE NEW MEL; AND ALL REQUIRED PAPERWORK FOR DEP. THERE WERE NO PLT REQUIRED ITEMS FOR THIS MEL. AFTER TKOF; WHILE DOING OUR ENRTE CHKS; WE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS FUEL IN THE OUTBOARD TANKS. OUR ECAM STILL STATED THAT THE OUTBOARD FUEL WAS UNUSABLE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 739472: MAINT SAID TO CYCLE CIRCUIT BREAKERS TO OPEN VALVES. CREW SAID VALVES DID OPEN BUT MEL PLACARD WAS INCORRECT AND MAINT CONCURRED. ORIGINAL PLACARD DID NOT STATE THAT DISPATCH HAD TO ALERT LOAD PLANNING TO USE ALTERNATE TYPE CODE OR FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS TO BE CYCLED; SO I DID NOT NOTIFY LOAD PLANNING. FOLLOWING FLTS ON THAT PLANE HAD NEW MEL PLACARD ISSUED WHERE I DID NOTIFY LOAD PLANNING CORRECTLY.
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.