Narrative:

I am an airframe and power plant mechanic working for XXX airlines in sfo, as a line maintenance mechanic. On jul/mon/94 I was assigned to an aircraft at approximately XA30 am. The aircraft was scheduled for an XB30 am trip. I was given a gripe number which was for a #2 xfeed valve inoperative. Because of the time frame and the aircraft still had to be towed to the gate, we were told to defer the valve. I started to defer the valve per MEL. One of the steps in the MEL included manually positioning and wire wrapping the valve lever to the open position and references figure 104 of MEL. I deactivated the incorrect valve because the placards by the valve were not worded the same as figure 104, thus resulting in the #2 tank fueling valve being deactivated instead of the #2 xfeed valve. There are 2 placards located in between the #2 xfeed valve and the #2 fueling valve. The placard located below the #2 xfeed valve states '#2 tank to engine manifold (plus) auxiliary tank refuel valve.' the placard does not call the valve a xfeed valve as per MEL, leading me to believe the xfeed valve was the one located below the placards. I believe the MEL should be corrected to include the proper wording of the placard. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporting mechanic works for a major us air carrier. The subject aircraft was a B-727-200. The aircraft was dispatched sfo to ord but had to divert to den. It landed with only 2000 pounds fuel in the wing tanks, but 27000 pounds trapped in the center tank. The actions of the reporter allowed an unwanted transfer of fuel from the wing tanks into the center tanks where it was trapped. The reporter understands that the flight crew is also under investigation by the FAA for letting this situation go so far. The reporter has received a letter of investigation from the FAA. He understands that the air carrier is in the process of changing the placards to say what is intended.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B-727 HAD TO DIVERT LAND BECAUSE MOST OF ITS FUEL WAS TRAPPED IN THE CTR TANK.

Narrative: I AM AN AIRFRAME AND PWR PLANT MECH WORKING FOR XXX AIRLINES IN SFO, AS A LINE MAINT MECH. ON JUL/MON/94 I WAS ASSIGNED TO AN ACFT AT APPROX XA30 AM. THE ACFT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN XB30 AM TRIP. I WAS GIVEN A GRIPE NUMBER WHICH WAS FOR A #2 XFEED VALVE INOP. BECAUSE OF THE TIME FRAME AND THE ACFT STILL HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE GATE, WE WERE TOLD TO DEFER THE VALVE. I STARTED TO DEFER THE VALVE PER MEL. ONE OF THE STEPS IN THE MEL INCLUDED MANUALLY POSITIONING AND WIRE WRAPPING THE VALVE LEVER TO THE OPEN POS AND REFS FIGURE 104 OF MEL. I DEACTIVATED THE INCORRECT VALVE BECAUSE THE PLACARDS BY THE VALVE WERE NOT WORDED THE SAME AS FIGURE 104, THUS RESULTING IN THE #2 TANK FUELING VALVE BEING DEACTIVATED INSTEAD OF THE #2 XFEED VALVE. THERE ARE 2 PLACARDS LOCATED IN BTWN THE #2 XFEED VALVE AND THE #2 FUELING VALVE. THE PLACARD LOCATED BELOW THE #2 XFEED VALVE STATES '#2 TANK TO ENG MANIFOLD (PLUS) AUX TANK REFUEL VALVE.' THE PLACARD DOES NOT CALL THE VALVE A XFEED VALVE AS PER MEL, LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THE XFEED VALVE WAS THE ONE LOCATED BELOW THE PLACARDS. I BELIEVE THE MEL SHOULD BE CORRECTED TO INCLUDE THE PROPER WORDING OF THE PLACARD. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING MECH WORKS FOR A MAJOR US ACR. THE SUBJECT ACFT WAS A B-727-200. THE ACFT WAS DISPATCHED SFO TO ORD BUT HAD TO DIVERT TO DEN. IT LANDED WITH ONLY 2000 LBS FUEL IN THE WING TANKS, BUT 27000 LBS TRAPPED IN THE CTR TANK. THE ACTIONS OF THE RPTR ALLOWED AN UNWANTED TRANSFER OF FUEL FROM THE WING TANKS INTO THE CTR TANKS WHERE IT WAS TRAPPED. THE RPTR UNDERSTANDS THAT THE FLC IS ALSO UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA FOR LETTING THIS SIT GO SO FAR. THE RPTR HAS RECEIVED A LETTER OF INVESTIGATION FROM THE FAA. HE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE ACR IS IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING THE PLACARDS TO SAY WHAT IS INTENDED.

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.