Atx flight crew fails to monitor fuel transfer operation, lands with imbalance.

Attributes
ACN	121913
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : avp
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2920 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	121913
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

One engine was burning more fuel than the other. So we tried xfeeding fuel to correct the imbalance. We were distracted with other duties and inadvertently xfed too long, so we were not able to correct the fuel imbalance as much as desired before landing. The indicator light VOR xfeed on this airplane is located in a position on the cockpit panel that is down low and difficult to see. I consider this a design defect. It should be placed at eye level to make it easier for pilots to monitor the xfeed status.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX FLT CREW FAILS TO MONITOR FUEL TRANSFER OPERATION, LANDS WITH IMBALANCE.

Narrative: ONE ENGINE WAS BURNING MORE FUEL THAN THE OTHER. SO WE TRIED XFEEDING FUEL TO CORRECT THE IMBALANCE. WE WERE DISTRACTED WITH OTHER DUTIES AND INADVERTENTLY XFED TOO LONG, SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE FUEL IMBALANCE AS MUCH AS DESIRED BEFORE LNDG. THE INDICATOR LIGHT VOR XFEED ON THIS AIRPLANE IS LOCATED IN A POSITION ON THE COCKPIT PANEL THAT IS DOWN LOW AND DIFFICULT TO SEE. I CONSIDER THIS A DESIGN DEFECT. IT SHOULD BE PLACED AT EYE LEVEL TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PLTS TO MONITOR THE XFEED STATUS.

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.