Narrative:

At or about rotation, the tower notified us that we were venting fuel from both wings. When safely airborne, the fuel panel was found to have an automatic-feed fault (within certain parameters, the automatic-feed system xfers fuel from the center tank to the wing tanks). The system was switched to manual mode and both center tank pumps were switched off. At this time the tower could not visually confirm that fuel venting had stopped. We therefore requested a fly-by for a closer visibility inspection by tower. Tower confirmed visually that fuel venting had ceased. We advised company operations of the reason for our fly-by. Supplemental information from acn 156265: when we were climbing through 400' (approximately) the flight warning computer gave an automatic-fuel xfer fault. (All warnings except engine fire/failure are inhibited on the aircraft during a critical phase of flight.) at this time the center tank xfer pumps were turned off and the warning was cancelled. The fuel level in the center tank remained the same. The captain elected to make a low approach down the runway to have the tower visually confirm the fuel venting had stopped. We determined that the fuel loss was minimal and that sufficient fuel remained to continue the flight to msy. At msy the actual fuel used was 400# greater than flight planned.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL AUTO CROSS-FEED MALFUNCTION CAUSE FUEL VENTING FROM WING TANKS ON ACR MLG AT PHL.

Narrative: AT OR ABOUT ROTATION, THE TWR NOTIFIED US THAT WE WERE VENTING FUEL FROM BOTH WINGS. WHEN SAFELY AIRBORNE, THE FUEL PANEL WAS FOUND TO HAVE AN AUTO-FEED FAULT (WITHIN CERTAIN PARAMETERS, THE AUTO-FEED SYS XFERS FUEL FROM THE CENTER TANK TO THE WING TANKS). THE SYS WAS SWITCHED TO MANUAL MODE AND BOTH CENTER TANK PUMPS WERE SWITCHED OFF. AT THIS TIME THE TWR COULD NOT VISUALLY CONFIRM THAT FUEL VENTING HAD STOPPED. WE THEREFORE REQUESTED A FLY-BY FOR A CLOSER VIS INSPECTION BY TWR. TWR CONFIRMED VISUALLY THAT FUEL VENTING HAD CEASED. WE ADVISED COMPANY OPS OF THE REASON FOR OUR FLY-BY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 156265: WHEN WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 400' (APPROX) THE FLT WARNING COMPUTER GAVE AN AUTO-FUEL XFER FAULT. (ALL WARNINGS EXCEPT ENG FIRE/FAILURE ARE INHIBITED ON THE ACFT DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT.) AT THIS TIME THE CENTER TANK XFER PUMPS WERE TURNED OFF AND THE WARNING WAS CANCELLED. THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE CENTER TANK REMAINED THE SAME. THE CAPT ELECTED TO MAKE A LOW APCH DOWN THE RWY TO HAVE THE TWR VISUALLY CONFIRM THE FUEL VENTING HAD STOPPED. WE DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL LOSS WAS MINIMAL AND THAT SUFFICIENT FUEL REMAINED TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO MSY. AT MSY THE ACTUAL FUEL USED WAS 400# GREATER THAN FLT PLANNED.

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.