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In attempting to balance fuel, an air carrier captain mistakenly left the xfeed valve open which resulted in a 5000 pounds fuel imbal. The error was discovered by PF's observance of an excessive autoplt aileron trim. Aircraft was landed in an imbaled condition.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 302406 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199504 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pit |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : anc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | landing other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 302406 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
During cruise I (PF) noticed excessive aileron trim being used by the autoplt to hold wings level. I checked fuel gauges and we had an imbal of approximately 5000 pounds (left tank 2400 pounds, right tank 7400 pounds). Captain had left the fuel xfeed valve open after takeoff and apparently both engines were being fed only from the left main (wing) tank. We immediately began feeding fuel to both engines from the right tank. Imbal upon landing was approximately 4400 pounds (limitation on 737-300 is 1000 pounds). Several factors contributing: 1) poor cockpit resource management and xchk of gauges. 2) a small smudge on the 1000's digits on the right main fuel gauge made it difficult to tell between an '8' or a '6.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: IN ATTEMPTING TO BAL FUEL, AN ACR CAPT MISTAKENLY LEFT THE XFEED VALVE OPEN WHICH RESULTED IN A 5000 LBS FUEL IMBAL. THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED BY PF'S OBSERVANCE OF AN EXCESSIVE AUTOPLT AILERON TRIM. ACFT WAS LANDED IN AN IMBALED CONDITION.
Narrative: DURING CRUISE I (PF) NOTICED EXCESSIVE AILERON TRIM BEING USED BY THE AUTOPLT TO HOLD WINGS LEVEL. I CHKED FUEL GAUGES AND WE HAD AN IMBAL OF APPROX 5000 LBS (L TANK 2400 LBS, R TANK 7400 LBS). CAPT HAD LEFT THE FUEL XFEED VALVE OPEN AFTER TKOF AND APPARENTLY BOTH ENGS WERE BEING FED ONLY FROM THE L MAIN (WING) TANK. WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN FEEDING FUEL TO BOTH ENGS FROM THE R TANK. IMBAL UPON LNDG WAS APPROX 4400 LBS (LIMITATION ON 737-300 IS 1000 LBS). SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING: 1) POOR COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT AND XCHK OF GAUGES. 2) A SMALL SMUDGE ON THE 1000'S DIGITS ON THE R MAIN FUEL GAUGE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO TELL BTWN AN '8' OR A '6.'
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.