Fuel equipment design problem operation flight crew of air carrier left the fuel xfeed valve open in-flight and developed a serious imbalance because of it. Landed out of balance.

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Attributes
ACN	302782
Time
Date	199504
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	302782
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

About 1 hour into the flight, it was noticed that 1 unit of aileron trim was required. The fuel gauges were checked and a large imbalance was detected. Upon further investigation, the fuel xfeed switch was found in the open position with all main tank fuel pumps operating. Fuel balancing were initiated with insufficient time remaining in the flight to bring the fuel back into balance. No control problems were experienced and a normal landing was executed in pit. Crew should be more vigilant of the fuel gauges throughout the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL EQUIP DESIGN PROB OP FLC OF ACR LEFT THE FUEL XFEED VALVE OPEN INFLT AND DEVELOPED A SERIOUS IMBALANCE BECAUSE OF IT. LANDED OUT OF BALANCE.

Narrative: ABOUT 1 HR INTO THE FLT, IT WAS NOTICED THAT 1 UNIT OF AILERON TRIM WAS REQUIRED. THE FUEL GAUGES WERE CHKED AND A LARGE IMBALANCE WAS DETECTED. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE FUEL XFEED SWITCH WAS FOUND IN THE OPEN POS WITH ALL MAIN TANK FUEL PUMPS OPERATING. FUEL BALANCING WERE INITIATED WITH INSUFFICIENT TIME REMAINING IN THE FLT TO BRING THE FUEL BACK INTO BALANCE. NO CTL PROBS WERE EXPERIENCED AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS EXECUTED IN PIT. CREW SHOULD BE MORE VIGILANT OF THE FUEL GAUGES THROUGHOUT THE FLT.

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.