Air carrier large transport fuel starvation at FL330. Diverted to alternate.

Attributes
ACN	132973
Time
Date	199001
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cun
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32500 msl bound upper : 32500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mmid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1280
ASRS Report	132973
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	132978
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were climbing out of czm at about 32,000'. All the instruments for #1 engine begin to intermittently fluctuate. We changed bleeds but the intermittent fluctuation didn't stop. Everything else seemed normal. Then at 32,500' both #1 and #3 engine instruments seemed to fluctuate to '0', accompanied by a surge of the airplane. I immediately turned toward cun, declared an emergency, reduced power on #1 and #3 engines and ordered tank to engine fuel. All fluctuations stopped and we continued to cun. Everything was checked out and a test flight was flown. We then refueled and flew the airplane home. When only one engine was acting up, we didn't think the problem was with the fuel and then when both engines seem to stop, things happened so fast we didn't have time to troubleshoot. Since engines begin to stop gravity feeding when you are above 30,000'. I feel that our problem was fuel starvation. Also, as far as I know, the fuel panel was set up correctly for feeding out of the center tank.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT FUEL STARVATION AT FL330. DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: WE WERE CLIMBING OUT OF CZM AT ABOUT 32,000'. ALL THE INSTRUMENTS FOR #1 ENGINE BEGIN TO INTERMITTENTLY FLUCTUATE. WE CHANGED BLEEDS BUT THE INTERMITTENT FLUCTUATION DIDN'T STOP. EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMED NORMAL. THEN AT 32,500' BOTH #1 AND #3 ENGINE INSTRUMENTS SEEMED TO FLUCTUATE TO '0', ACCOMPANIED BY A SURGE OF THE AIRPLANE. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TOWARD CUN, DECLARED AN EMER, REDUCED POWER ON #1 AND #3 ENGINES AND ORDERED TANK TO ENGINE FUEL. ALL FLUCTUATIONS STOPPED AND WE CONTINUED TO CUN. EVERYTHING WAS CHECKED OUT AND A TEST FLT WAS FLOWN. WE THEN REFUELED AND FLEW THE AIRPLANE HOME. WHEN ONLY ONE ENGINE WAS ACTING UP, WE DIDN'T THINK THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE FUEL AND THEN WHEN BOTH ENGINES SEEM TO STOP, THINGS HAPPENED SO FAST WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TROUBLESHOOT. SINCE ENGINES BEGIN TO STOP GRAVITY FEEDING WHEN YOU ARE ABOVE 30,000'. I FEEL THAT OUR PROBLEM WAS FUEL STARVATION. ALSO, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE FUEL PANEL WAS SET UP CORRECTLY FOR FEEDING OUT OF THE CENTER TANK.

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