Narrative:

This is a human factors interest item. I became absorbed with a series of aircraft problems that threatened the aircraft mission. The final result was that I could not monitor my assigned altitude correctly. The pass-down I would give to other pilots is to think about when to notify ATC of a situation that is degenerating. Declaring an emergency is a black and white scenario with appropriate procedures to follow. Quasi-emergencys are insidious. In 5/90 at approximately PM45 local, while assigned to FL330 on J174 between chs and ilm, I experienced an unexplained an uncontrolled loss of fuel through the aircraft's dump masts (this can be monitored by watching the mirrors in the cockpit). I utilized any means available to secure the loss of fuel because I was rapidly approaching an emergency fuel state. Although there are no established procedures for this dilemma, there are a few generally accepted practices that involve electrically and mechanically blocking the fuel from the dump system, and thus unseat a series of fuel shut-off valves. It was during this time that I suffered a loss of 800-1000 pounds of gas and was given a call from ZDC for being at 32300'. I asked the controller to check again, and he said that he now showed my aircraft at 32800'. I then called ATC and explained that I had a series of problems with the aircraft, some of which were electrical in nature. I also had experienced power surges from the generator (I think), which resulted in momentary loss of power to all cockpit displays. I did not know if the IFF reporting system was affected. He seemed to understand and asked if the aircraft would make it to its destination. I replied in the affirmative. I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the controller's warning. Additionally, I could not verify the altitude because I was totally preoccupied with a situation that was rapidly degenerating into a serious problem. I did not have time or the freedom on the assigned frequency (290.50) to amplify my remarks to the controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL PLT EXPERIENCES ALT DEVIATION DURING DISTR WITH ACFT FUEL PROBLEM.

Narrative: THIS IS A HUMAN FACTORS INTEREST ITEM. I BECAME ABSORBED WITH A SERIES OF ACFT PROBS THAT THREATENED THE ACFT MISSION. THE FINAL RESULT WAS THAT I COULD NOT MONITOR MY ASSIGNED ALT CORRECTLY. THE PASS-DOWN I WOULD GIVE TO OTHER PLTS IS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN TO NOTIFY ATC OF A SITUATION THAT IS DEGENERATING. DECLARING AN EMER IS A BLACK AND WHITE SCENARIO WITH APPROPRIATE PROCS TO FOLLOW. QUASI-EMERS ARE INSIDIOUS. IN 5/90 AT APPROX PM45 LCL, WHILE ASSIGNED TO FL330 ON J174 BTWN CHS AND ILM, I EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPLAINED AN UNCONTROLLED LOSS OF FUEL THROUGH THE ACFT'S DUMP MASTS (THIS CAN BE MONITORED BY WATCHING THE MIRRORS IN THE COCKPIT). I UTILIZED ANY MEANS AVAILABLE TO SECURE THE LOSS OF FUEL BECAUSE I WAS RAPIDLY APCHING AN EMER FUEL STATE. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO ESTABLISHED PROCS FOR THIS DILEMMA, THERE ARE A FEW GENERALLY ACCEPTED PRACTICES THAT INVOLVE ELECTRICALLY AND MECHANICALLY BLOCKING THE FUEL FROM THE DUMP SYS, AND THUS UNSEAT A SERIES OF FUEL SHUT-OFF VALVES. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT I SUFFERED A LOSS OF 800-1000 LBS OF GAS AND WAS GIVEN A CALL FROM ZDC FOR BEING AT 32300'. I ASKED THE CTLR TO CHK AGAIN, AND HE SAID THAT HE NOW SHOWED MY ACFT AT 32800'. I THEN CALLED ATC AND EXPLAINED THAT I HAD A SERIES OF PROBS WITH THE ACFT, SOME OF WHICH WERE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. I ALSO HAD EXPERIENCED PWR SURGES FROM THE GENERATOR (I THINK), WHICH RESULTED IN MOMENTARY LOSS OF PWR TO ALL COCKPIT DISPLAYS. I DID NOT KNOW IF THE IFF RPTING SYS WAS AFFECTED. HE SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND AND ASKED IF THE ACFT WOULD MAKE IT TO ITS DEST. I REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. I HAVE NO REASON TO DOUBT THE ACCURACY OF THE CTLR'S WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, I COULD NOT VERIFY THE ALT BECAUSE I WAS TOTALLY PREOCCUPIED WITH A SITUATION THAT WAS RAPIDLY DEGENERATING INTO A SERIOUS PROB. I DID NOT HAVE TIME OR THE FREEDOM ON THE ASSIGNED FREQ (290.50) TO AMPLIFY MY REMARKS TO THE CTLR.

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.