Air carrier flight crew turns fuel pump switches to off position during preflight checks.

Attributes
ACN	312751
Time
Date	199508
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord tower : lga
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	312751
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	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Abnormal fuel burn. This aircraft has 3 position center fuel pump switches with the automatic position being deactivated. On the before start checklist, I verified the captain had toggled the switches, however it was dark and I did not realize the switches had been toggled from the automatic position, where they are not normally found, to the off position instead of the on position where they should have been. During the 10000 ft check, we were being vectored for traffic and avoiding thunderstorms and failed to notice the abnormal fuel burn. On subsequent check the abnormal fuel burn was noticed and corrected. After assessing the remaining fuel distribution, we determined that the flight could be continued safely and landed at our destination. My suggestion is to standardize the fuel switches on all super 80's.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC TURNS FUEL PUMP SWITCHES TO OFF POS DURING PREFLT CHKS.

Narrative: ABNORMAL FUEL BURN. THIS ACFT HAS 3 POS CTR FUEL PUMP SWITCHES WITH THE AUTO POS BEING DEACTIVATED. ON THE BEFORE START CHKLIST, I VERIFIED THE CAPT HAD TOGGLED THE SWITCHES, HOWEVER IT WAS DARK AND I DID NOT REALIZE THE SWITCHES HAD BEEN TOGGLED FROM THE AUTO POS, WHERE THEY ARE NOT NORMALLY FOUND, TO THE OFF POS INSTEAD OF THE ON POS WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN. DURING THE 10000 FT CHK, WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR TFC AND AVOIDING TSTMS AND FAILED TO NOTICE THE ABNORMAL FUEL BURN. ON SUBSEQUENT CHK THE ABNORMAL FUEL BURN WAS NOTICED AND CORRECTED. AFTER ASSESSING THE REMAINING FUEL DISTRIBUTION, WE DETERMINED THAT THE FLT COULD BE CONTINUED SAFELY AND LANDED AT OUR DEST. MY SUGGESTION IS TO STANDARDIZE THE FUEL SWITCHES ON ALL SUPER 80'S.

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.