Air carrier mechanics signed off a fuel discrepancy using the wrong procedure.

Attributes
ACN	253959
Time
Date	199310
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	253959
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Maintenance used wrong deviation dispatch procedure (ddp) to correct problem with aircraft fueling system. The correct ddp title doesn't focus on the problem, i.e., failed valves. The ddp procedure used compromised the safety of subsequent flight. Problem started with fueler not being able to fill #2 fuel tank and continuing to fill tanks 1 and 3. Several mechanics did not know where the valve in question was located, so relinquished the crew's only aircraft manual to mechanics. The captain (me) got involved with the fueler and mechanics with regard to locating the valve in question and the proper filling of the #2 tank without automatic shutoff protection. Contributing factors which distracted myself and crew: attempting to coordinate filling #2 tank and subsequent fuel spill at gate, while taxiing and takeoff. Besides the company's push for on-time performance, the flight in question needs to operate within 1 1/2 hours of scheduled departure to be able to return to ewr for passenger to make the last bank of connecting flts. Discovered problem in-flight after some further study of aircraft manual (the placard on the xfeed valve didn't make any sense). Corrected the ddp at the next station.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MECHS SIGNED OFF A FUEL DISCREPANCY USING THE WRONG PROC.

Narrative: MAINT USED WRONG DEV DISPATCH PROC (DDP) TO CORRECT PROB WITH ACFT FUELING SYS. THE CORRECT DDP TITLE DOESN'T FOCUS ON THE PROB, I.E., FAILED VALVES. THE DDP PROC USED COMPROMISED THE SAFETY OF SUBSEQUENT FLT. PROB STARTED WITH FUELER NOT BEING ABLE TO FILL #2 FUEL TANK AND CONTINUING TO FILL TANKS 1 AND 3. SEVERAL MECHS DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE VALVE IN QUESTION WAS LOCATED, SO RELINQUISHED THE CREW'S ONLY ACFT MANUAL TO MECHS. THE CAPT (ME) GOT INVOLVED WITH THE FUELER AND MECHS WITH REGARD TO LOCATING THE VALVE IN QUESTION AND THE PROPER FILLING OF THE #2 TANK WITHOUT AUTOMATIC SHUTOFF PROTECTION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WHICH DISTRACTED MYSELF AND CREW: ATTEMPTING TO COORDINATE FILLING #2 TANK AND SUBSEQUENT FUEL SPILL AT GATE, WHILE TAXIING AND TKOF. BESIDES THE COMPANY'S PUSH FOR ON-TIME PERFORMANCE, THE FLT IN QUESTION NEEDS TO OPERATE WITHIN 1 1/2 HRS OF SCHEDULED DEP TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO EWR FOR PAX TO MAKE THE LAST BANK OF CONNECTING FLTS. DISCOVERED PROB INFLT AFTER SOME FURTHER STUDY OF ACFT MANUAL (THE PLACARD ON THE XFEED VALVE DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE). CORRECTED THE DDP AT THE NEXT STATION.

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.