Air carrier mdt on transoceanic ferry flight encounters bladder tank problems.

Attributes
ACN	178347
Time
Date	199105
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hnl
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : pacific enroute airway : r577 enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	178347
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	178355
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While on ferry flight from hnl to phx, we encountered a problem with the internal ferry fuel tank system. We were between engin and etnic on R577 at 17000'. At engin, we were :18 mins behind flight plan and 1700# of fuel over planned burn off. #3 ferry tank emptied around 995-1000 gals, after only :50 mins of use. Captain recognized a problem due to his past ferry experience. The tank should not have run dry so early. We entered our etp airport, ito, in the INS and agreed it was closest. Aircraft had sufficient fuel in aircraft tanks to make ito and fuel still flowed from ferry tanks 1 and 2. Around N25 latitude W145 longitude calculated fuel and found sufficient amount to make hnl. We landed hnl with 4000# after 10:07 hours of flying. The ferry tank system has only crude sight gauges to determine quantity. Subsequently, we learned that maintenance discovered an improperly installed fuel line in #3 ferry tank. The line apparently crimped, not allowing fuel to xfer. I realize now that we could have made lax, but I am glad we were conservative in our decision making.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT ON TRANSOCEANIC FERRY FLT ENCOUNTERS BLADDER TANK PROBLEMS.

Narrative: WHILE ON FERRY FLT FROM HNL TO PHX, WE ENCOUNTERED A PROB WITH THE INTERNAL FERRY FUEL TANK SYS. WE WERE BTWN ENGIN AND ETNIC ON R577 AT 17000'. AT ENGIN, WE WERE :18 MINS BEHIND FLT PLAN AND 1700# OF FUEL OVER PLANNED BURN OFF. #3 FERRY TANK EMPTIED AROUND 995-1000 GALS, AFTER ONLY :50 MINS OF USE. CAPT RECOGNIZED A PROB DUE TO HIS PAST FERRY EXPERIENCE. THE TANK SHOULD NOT HAVE RUN DRY SO EARLY. WE ENTERED OUR ETP ARPT, ITO, IN THE INS AND AGREED IT WAS CLOSEST. ACFT HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL IN ACFT TANKS TO MAKE ITO AND FUEL STILL FLOWED FROM FERRY TANKS 1 AND 2. AROUND N25 LAT W145 LONGITUDE CALCULATED FUEL AND FOUND SUFFICIENT AMOUNT TO MAKE HNL. WE LANDED HNL WITH 4000# AFTER 10:07 HRS OF FLYING. THE FERRY TANK SYS HAS ONLY CRUDE SIGHT GAUGES TO DETERMINE QUANTITY. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE LEARNED THAT MAINT DISCOVERED AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED FUEL LINE IN #3 FERRY TANK. THE LINE APPARENTLY CRIMPED, NOT ALLOWING FUEL TO XFER. I REALIZE NOW THAT WE COULD HAVE MADE LAX, BUT I AM GLAD WE WERE CONSERVATIVE IN OUR DECISION MAKING.

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.