Narrative:

Receiving the B-727 the #3 and total fuel gauges were MEL'd. The crew decided to drain #3 tank and fill it to a known level, since we had minimum time to accomplish this, we were delayed. Just off IOE, and feeling rushed, I missed the xfeed position after the fuelers were finished. I had #1 and #3 xfeed open, and #2 closed. Not until descent did I notice this. As the flight continued the captain noticed the right wing getting heavy but since #3 and total fuel gauges inoperative it was not obvious what the problem was. I went back to see if we had a floating spoiler. When I returned I noticed the xfeeds were not in the standard position. The captain didn't want to chance feeding #3 engine from the #3 tank in case the fuel wasn't feeding so we elected to feed #3 engine from the #2 tank. We landed with approximately 5000 pounds out of balance. Contributing factors were feeling rushed, #3 tank and total fuel gauges inoperative and #1 boost pump a little stronger than #3 pumps. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: aircraft is a B-727. Reporter states #3 fuel gauge, only, inoperative. Inoperative total is not a MEL item. Normal operation is with #1 and #3 xfeeds closed for tank to engine flow. Xfeeds were left open as a result of so's distraction in abnormal situation, and associated schedule pressure. Now, so states that these position would stand out like bull's eyes. #1 boost pump stronger than #3, and once error was committed, inoperative gauge made accurate determination of fuel situation, impossible. Flight crew noticed wing heavy condition during descent. Captain's heavy workload led to trouble-shooting without so's input. Captain's solution did not alleviate problem since solution was to feed #3 engine from the #2 tank. So states that she failed to convey what she felt she had done wrong. Flight crew counseled by company. Fuel imbalance limitation is 1000 pounds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B-727 EXCEEDED FUEL IMBALANCE LIMITATIONS DURING LNDG.

Narrative: RECEIVING THE B-727 THE #3 AND TOTAL FUEL GAUGES WERE MEL'D. THE CREW DECIDED TO DRAIN #3 TANK AND FILL IT TO A KNOWN LEVEL, SINCE WE HAD MINIMUM TIME TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, WE WERE DELAYED. JUST OFF IOE, AND FEELING RUSHED, I MISSED THE XFEED POS AFTER THE FUELERS WERE FINISHED. I HAD #1 AND #3 XFEED OPEN, AND #2 CLOSED. NOT UNTIL DSCNT DID I NOTICE THIS. AS THE FLT CONTINUED THE CAPT NOTICED THE R WING GETTING HVY BUT SINCE #3 AND TOTAL FUEL GAUGES INOP IT WAS NOT OBVIOUS WHAT THE PROB WAS. I WENT BACK TO SEE IF WE HAD A FLOATING SPOILER. WHEN I RETURNED I NOTICED THE XFEEDS WERE NOT IN THE STANDARD POS. THE CAPT DIDN'T WANT TO CHANCE FEEDING #3 ENG FROM THE #3 TANK IN CASE THE FUEL WASN'T FEEDING SO WE ELECTED TO FEED #3 ENG FROM THE #2 TANK. WE LANDED WITH APPROX 5000 LBS OUT OF BAL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE FEELING RUSHED, #3 TANK AND TOTAL FUEL GAUGES INOP AND #1 BOOST PUMP A LITTLE STRONGER THAN #3 PUMPS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: ACFT IS A B-727. RPTR STATES #3 FUEL GAUGE, ONLY, INOP. INOP TOTAL IS NOT A MEL ITEM. NORMAL OP IS WITH #1 AND #3 XFEEDS CLOSED FOR TANK TO ENG FLOW. XFEEDS WERE LEFT OPEN AS A RESULT OF SO'S DISTR IN ABNORMAL SIT, AND ASSOCIATED SCHEDULE PRESSURE. NOW, SO STATES THAT THESE POS WOULD STAND OUT LIKE BULL'S EYES. #1 BOOST PUMP STRONGER THAN #3, AND ONCE ERROR WAS COMMITTED, INOP GAUGE MADE ACCURATE DETERMINATION OF FUEL SIT, IMPOSSIBLE. FLC NOTICED WING HVY CONDITION DURING DSCNT. CAPT'S HVY WORKLOAD LED TO TROUBLE-SHOOTING WITHOUT SO'S INPUT. CAPT'S SOLUTION DID NOT ALLEVIATE PROB SINCE SOLUTION WAS TO FEED #3 ENG FROM THE #2 TANK. SO STATES THAT SHE FAILED TO CONVEY WHAT SHE FELT SHE HAD DONE WRONG. FLC COUNSELED BY COMPANY. FUEL IMBALANCE LIMITATION IS 1000 LBS.

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.