Narrative:

While at 350 above dbq after approximately 2 hours of flight (bos- den) the master caution and right fuel inlet pressure low lights illuminated. As the PNF I called out the light to the captain and awaited his response. He checked the lights and then turned on the center fuel tank boost pumps which extinguished the fuel inlet pressure low light. The left main fuel tank read 300 pounds while the right tank read 0. Center tank had abpprox 17000 pounds remaining. We discussed our options: 1) why where the center pumps off. (Contributing factors) a)for the 2 previous legs (dtw-ewr and ewr-bos) we had ballast fuel and no fuel in the center tanks which required that the center pumps remain off. Having no fuel in the center tank is frequent for short legs while we rarely have ballast fuel. B) the pumps were not turned on during the before start checklist (chain of events from 'a'?!) C) again the pumps were not turned on during the after takeoff checklist. (Chain of events from 'a'?!) D) during cruise fuel checks the PF checked only the totalizer and not the 3 tanks. East) the PNF (me) failed to back up the captain. 2) what now? A) land and refuel. No -- after ensuring that both center pumps were operative (by turning them off one at a time) and with sufficient fuel remaining we elected to continue the flight to den. Corrective actions 1) don't allow pilots to control fuel boost pumps. Hard wire them to the start levers. 2) emphasize a 3 tank and totalizer check during cruise. 3) move the 'fuel inlet pressure low' light to another location on the annunciator panel so as not to get it confused with the 'fuel filter' light right below it that comes on frequently at about the same time in flight (about 2 hours). I saw the light but I expected the filter light, not the pressure light. Had I waited any longer... Flameout!

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF AN MD80 EXPERIENCES LOW MAIN (WING) FUEL TANK LEVELS DUE TO THE CTR TANK PUMPS BEING OFF.

Narrative: WHILE AT 350 ABOVE DBQ AFTER APPROX 2 HRS OF FLT (BOS- DEN) THE MASTER CAUTION AND R FUEL INLET PRESSURE LOW LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. AS THE PNF I CALLED OUT THE LIGHT TO THE CAPT AND AWAITED HIS RESPONSE. HE CHKED THE LIGHTS AND THEN TURNED ON THE CTR FUEL TANK BOOST PUMPS WHICH EXTINGUISHED THE FUEL INLET PRESSURE LOW LIGHT. THE L MAIN FUEL TANK READ 300 LBS WHILE THE R TANK READ 0. CTR TANK HAD ABPPROX 17000 LBS REMAINING. WE DISCUSSED OUR OPTIONS: 1) WHY WHERE THE CTR PUMPS OFF. (CONTRIBUTING FACTORS) A)FOR THE 2 PREVIOUS LEGS (DTW-EWR AND EWR-BOS) WE HAD BALLAST FUEL AND NO FUEL IN THE CTR TANKS WHICH REQUIRED THAT THE CTR PUMPS REMAIN OFF. HAVING NO FUEL IN THE CTR TANK IS FREQUENT FOR SHORT LEGS WHILE WE RARELY HAVE BALLAST FUEL. B) THE PUMPS WERE NOT TURNED ON DURING THE BEFORE START CHKLIST (CHAIN OF EVENTS FROM 'A'?!) C) AGAIN THE PUMPS WERE NOT TURNED ON DURING THE AFTER TKOF CHKLIST. (CHAIN OF EVENTS FROM 'A'?!) D) DURING CRUISE FUEL CHKS THE PF CHKED ONLY THE TOTALIZER AND NOT THE 3 TANKS. E) THE PNF (ME) FAILED TO BACK UP THE CAPT. 2) WHAT NOW? A) LAND AND REFUEL. NO -- AFTER ENSURING THAT BOTH CTR PUMPS WERE OPERATIVE (BY TURNING THEM OFF ONE AT A TIME) AND WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL REMAINING WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO DEN. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS 1) DON'T ALLOW PLTS TO CTL FUEL BOOST PUMPS. HARD WIRE THEM TO THE START LEVERS. 2) EMPHASIZE A 3 TANK AND TOTALIZER CHK DURING CRUISE. 3) MOVE THE 'FUEL INLET PRESSURE LOW' LIGHT TO ANOTHER LOCATION ON THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL SO AS NOT TO GET IT CONFUSED WITH THE 'FUEL FILTER' LIGHT RIGHT BELOW IT THAT COMES ON FREQUENTLY AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME IN FLT (ABOUT 2 HRS). I SAW THE LIGHT BUT I EXPECTED THE FILTER LIGHT, NOT THE PRESSURE LIGHT. HAD I WAITED ANY LONGER... FLAMEOUT!

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.