Narrative:

We left the gate at bna completed all checklist items and takeoff was at. Completed clbchk items and all were normal. 20 mins into flight, climbing through FL260, the F/east brought to my attention an abnormal fuel indication. I was flying the aircraft, int the WX, and turned to look at the fuel panel and saw the #2 fuel qty indicator approximately 1500-2000 pounds less than #1 and #3 tanks. I told the F/east to get the fuel qty abnormal checklist, then turned back forward, told the first officer to request level off at FL290. My first thought was a fuel qty gauge malfunction and not a big deal. I leveled at FL290, put on the autoplt, and noticed the #2 fuel qty decreasing at an abnormally fast rate, also that all fuel xfeeds were opened at this time. After reading the first part of the abnormal checklist, it was determined that a possible leak existed. The F/east tested the gauge and it tested normal. All engine indications were normal also. I decided to declare an emergency and divert to atl for possible fuel leak, told center fuel on board was 14.5 or 14.9 as I recall. We turned direct and center cleared us to FL250 and I started a descent. I then turned aircraft over to first officer. I called #1 F/a to cockpit during this time and briefed her of situation and that we would be landing in approximately 20-25 mins. The F/east and I went on with the checklist. We established a tank to engine fuel feed confign. Center came back with a clearance to 15000'. I got on the radio and requested FL250, pilot's discretion to 15000' so we wouldn't get too low, too far out with our problem, then continued checklist, we shut down the #2 engine as per checklist. Center requested fuel on board again and first officer calculated approximately 12000 pounds, while the F/east and I were running the checklists I made a PA to the passengers, advising them of problem, engine shutdown as precaution and reassured them all was ok. I took control of the aircraft after completing all checklists at approximately. Landed safely at atl and requested that fire chief look over aircraft. He advised all looks ok, then I taxied to the gate west/O further incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT IN CLIMB DETERMINED THEY HAD RAPID FUEL LEAK. DECLARED EMERGENCY DIVERTED TO ATL.

Narrative: WE LEFT THE GATE AT BNA COMPLETED ALL CHKLIST ITEMS AND TKOF WAS AT. COMPLETED CLBCHK ITEMS AND ALL WERE NORMAL. 20 MINS INTO FLT, CLBING THROUGH FL260, THE F/E BROUGHT TO MY ATTN AN ABNORMAL FUEL INDICATION. I WAS FLYING THE ACFT, INT THE WX, AND TURNED TO LOOK AT THE FUEL PANEL AND SAW THE #2 FUEL QTY INDICATOR APPROX 1500-2000 LBS LESS THAN #1 AND #3 TANKS. I TOLD THE F/E TO GET THE FUEL QTY ABNORMAL CHKLIST, THEN TURNED BACK FORWARD, TOLD THE F/O TO REQUEST LEVEL OFF AT FL290. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS A FUEL QTY GAUGE MALFUNCTION AND NOT A BIG DEAL. I LEVELED AT FL290, PUT ON THE AUTOPLT, AND NOTICED THE #2 FUEL QTY DECREASING AT AN ABNORMALLY FAST RATE, ALSO THAT ALL FUEL XFEEDS WERE OPENED AT THIS TIME. AFTER READING THE FIRST PART OF THE ABNORMAL CHKLIST, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A POSSIBLE LEAK EXISTED. THE F/E TESTED THE GAUGE AND IT TESTED NORMAL. ALL ENG INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL ALSO. I DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND DIVERT TO ATL FOR POSSIBLE FUEL LEAK, TOLD CTR FUEL ON BOARD WAS 14.5 OR 14.9 AS I RECALL. WE TURNED DIRECT AND CTR CLRED US TO FL250 AND I STARTED A DSNT. I THEN TURNED ACFT OVER TO F/O. I CALLED #1 F/A TO COCKPIT DURING THIS TIME AND BRIEFED HER OF SITUATION AND THAT WE WOULD BE LNDG IN APPROX 20-25 MINS. THE F/E AND I WENT ON WITH THE CHKLIST. WE ESTABLISHED A TANK TO ENG FUEL FEED CONFIGN. CTR CAME BACK WITH A CLRNC TO 15000'. I GOT ON THE RADIO AND REQUESTED FL250, PLT'S DISCRETION TO 15000' SO WE WOULDN'T GET TOO LOW, TOO FAR OUT WITH OUR PROB, THEN CONTINUED CHKLIST, WE SHUT DOWN THE #2 ENG AS PER CHKLIST. CTR REQUESTED FUEL ON BOARD AGAIN AND F/O CALCULATED APPROX 12000 LBS, WHILE THE F/E AND I WERE RUNNING THE CHKLISTS I MADE A PA TO THE PAXS, ADVISING THEM OF PROB, ENG SHUTDOWN AS PRECAUTION AND REASSURED THEM ALL WAS OK. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AFTER COMPLETING ALL CHKLISTS AT APPROX. LANDED SAFELY AT ATL AND REQUESTED THAT FIRE CHIEF LOOK OVER ACFT. HE ADVISED ALL LOOKS OK, THEN I TAXIED TO THE GATE W/O FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.