Air carrier medium large transport diverted to altitude when flight crew was unalbe to resolve an in...

Attributes
ACN	82596
Time
Date	198802
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	82596
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	82669
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Encountered a fuel quantity and associated electrical fuel pump problem which potentially might have restr fuel on board. Declared an emergency and requested the nearest suitable airport for landing. Center cleared direct to dulles int and landed straight. In to runway 12. Uneventful landing. Callback conversation revealed the following: the flight crew claims they saw fuel transfer from the wing tanks to the center tank and when they were unable to determine how this could have happened they decided to land at the nearest suitable airport. FAA is investigating claiming that it is impossible for this to happen and saying the problem must have been flight crew mismanagement of the fuel burn. First officer has heard of one other case of this impossible transfer taking place but unfortunately the flight crew involved did not document the problem. After the flight crew noticed the fuel transfer they attempted to burn out of the center tank but the center tank boost pump C/B kept opening and after landing a broken wire was found in the C/B panel. Maintenance also changed the center tank fuel gauge as it was found to be in error. Aircraft manufacturer is aware of the situation but they also say that the fuel cannot flow back into the center tank.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DIVERTED TO ALT WHEN FLT CREW WAS UNALBE TO RESOLVE AN INCIDATED FUEL TRANSFER PROBLEM.

Narrative: ENCOUNTERED A FUEL QUANTITY AND ASSOCIATED ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP PROBLEM WHICH POTENTIALLY MIGHT HAVE RESTR FUEL ON BOARD. DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT FOR LNDG. CTR CLRED DIRECT TO DULLES INT AND LANDED STRAIGHT. IN TO RWY 12. UNEVENTFUL LNDG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE FLT CREW CLAIMS THEY SAW FUEL TRANSFER FROM THE WING TANKS TO THE CENTER TANK AND WHEN THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED THEY DECIDED TO LAND AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT. FAA IS INVESTIGATING CLAIMING THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND SAYING THE PROBLEM MUST HAVE BEEN FLT CREW MISMANAGEMENT OF THE FUEL BURN. F/O HAS HEARD OF ONE OTHER CASE OF THIS IMPOSSIBLE TRANSFER TAKING PLACE BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE FLT CREW INVOLVED DID NOT DOCUMENT THE PROBLEM. AFTER THE FLT CREW NOTICED THE FUEL TRANSFER THEY ATTEMPTED TO BURN OUT OF THE CENTER TANK BUT THE CENTER TANK BOOST PUMP C/B KEPT OPENING AND AFTER LNDG A BROKEN WIRE WAS FOUND IN THE C/B PANEL. MAINT ALSO CHANGED THE CENTER TANK FUEL GAUGE AS IT WAS FOUND TO BE IN ERROR. ACFT MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE SITUATION BUT THEY ALSO SAY THAT THE FUEL CANNOT FLOW BACK INTO THE CENTER TANK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

Air carrier medium large transport diverted to altitude when flight crew was unalbe to resolve an incidated fuel transfer problem.