Narrative:

After the start check flow pattern was completed the external power (gate power) dropped gradually off line causing many circuit breakers to pop out. Started the APU, brought it on line and reset the circuit breakers. This is not an unusual thing to happen when using external power. We checked the circuit breakers again during start check. All were in. When the ground personnel disconnected the external power I opened the window and asked him to check the circuit breakers in the external power in hook up area. One was out and he reset it. Takeoff and climb and cruise were normal. The first fuel check at the top of climb was done. Again fuel checks were done at onl, den, hbu, and everything was within limits. At approximately the tbc VOR I first noticed the main tank fuel quantity was low. I first checked the other fuel quantity channel, same indication. I then checked fuel pumps, all were on. Turned around and checked the fuel pump circuit breakers. The forward center fuel pump (charlie phase) was popped. Reset and picked up cockpit operating procedures manual. 15-20 seconds later same circuit breaker popped again. Communication procedures were followed and then I called dispatch and maintenance control. After concurrence with everyone, we continued to sna. Maintenance control and I agreed that we were operating with 1/3 and 2/3 center tank boost pumps and we were now using fuel from the center tank. At first indication of problem the first officer and I discussed going to las vegas, but since we had 2 pumps working, we would continue. Maintenance and dispatch agreed. During the approach we turned all pumps on and landed and taxied to the gate. The aom says that with 2 phases of the 3 phase center tank fuel boost pump operating it should supply pressure at a reduced rate. With this boost pump confign the engines should be using center tank fuel, but they weren't until communication procedures (turning off main tank fuel boost pumps). Main tank fuel became depleted to a low quantity before crew became aware of the problem. Fuel consumption matched flight plan, but fuel was coming out of main tanks instead of center tanks. I recommend that some kind of annunciation warning light to alert crew of fuel system popped circuit breakers, even though the individual fuel tank quantity gauges should be monitored by the crew.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ENCOUNTERS AN ACFT FUEL EQUIP PROB MALFUNCTION IN CRUISE. RPTR'S COMPLAIN OF LACK OF PROCS TO FULLY MONITOR THE CAUSES OF THE INCIDENT.

Narrative: AFTER THE START CHK FLOW PATTERN WAS COMPLETED THE EXTERNAL PWR (GATE PWR) DROPPED GRADUALLY OFF LINE CAUSING MANY CIRCUIT BREAKERS TO POP OUT. STARTED THE APU, BROUGHT IT ON LINE AND RESET THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS. THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL THING TO HAPPEN WHEN USING EXTERNAL PWR. WE CHKED THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS AGAIN DURING START CHK. ALL WERE IN. WHEN THE GND PERSONNEL DISCONNECTED THE EXTERNAL PWR I OPENED THE WINDOW AND ASKED HIM TO CHK THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS IN THE EXTERNAL PWR IN HOOK UP AREA. ONE WAS OUT AND HE RESET IT. TKOF AND CLB AND CRUISE WERE NORMAL. THE FIRST FUEL CHK AT THE TOP OF CLB WAS DONE. AGAIN FUEL CHKS WERE DONE AT ONL, DEN, HBU, AND EVERYTHING WAS WITHIN LIMITS. AT APPROX THE TBC VOR I FIRST NOTICED THE MAIN TANK FUEL QUANTITY WAS LOW. I FIRST CHKED THE OTHER FUEL QUANTITY CHANNEL, SAME INDICATION. I THEN CHKED FUEL PUMPS, ALL WERE ON. TURNED AROUND AND CHKED THE FUEL PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKERS. THE FORWARD CTR FUEL PUMP (CHARLIE PHASE) WAS POPPED. RESET AND PICKED UP COCKPIT OPERATING PROCS MANUAL. 15-20 SECONDS LATER SAME CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED AGAIN. COM PROCS WERE FOLLOWED AND THEN I CALLED DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL. AFTER CONCURRENCE WITH EVERYONE, WE CONTINUED TO SNA. MAINT CTL AND I AGREED THAT WE WERE OPERATING WITH 1/3 AND 2/3 CTR TANK BOOST PUMPS AND WE WERE NOW USING FUEL FROM THE CTR TANK. AT FIRST INDICATION OF PROB THE FO AND I DISCUSSED GOING TO LAS VEGAS, BUT SINCE WE HAD 2 PUMPS WORKING, WE WOULD CONTINUE. MAINT AND DISPATCH AGREED. DURING THE APCH WE TURNED ALL PUMPS ON AND LANDED AND TAXIED TO THE GATE. THE AOM SAYS THAT WITH 2 PHASES OF THE 3 PHASE CTR TANK FUEL BOOST PUMP OPERATING IT SHOULD SUPPLY PRESSURE AT A REDUCED RATE. WITH THIS BOOST PUMP CONFIGN THE ENGS SHOULD BE USING CTR TANK FUEL, BUT THEY WEREN'T UNTIL COM PROCS (TURNING OFF MAIN TANK FUEL BOOST PUMPS). MAIN TANK FUEL BECAME DEPLETED TO A LOW QUANTITY BEFORE CREW BECAME AWARE OF THE PROB. FUEL CONSUMPTION MATCHED FLT PLAN, BUT FUEL WAS COMING OUT OF MAIN TANKS INSTEAD OF CTR TANKS. I RECOMMEND THAT SOME KIND OF ANNUNCIATION WARNING LIGHT TO ALERT CREW OF FUEL SYS POPPED CIRCUIT BREAKERS, EVEN THOUGH THE INDIVIDUAL FUEL TANK QUANTITY GAUGES SHOULD BE MONITORED BY THE CREW.

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.