Narrative:

This event happened on the ground and concerns the weight and balance. Our aircraft had an MEL item for the #3 fuel tank boost pump inoperative. This requires 5300 pounds of penalty fuel. The MEL tells us to put 5300 pounds into the zero fuel weight. We did this on a manual weight and balance. The flight standards departure called me a week later and told me that this was wrong. They said the zero fuel weight should have had 9600 pounds added to it not 5300 pounds. The ramp agent tried to put 9600 pounds on the computerized weight and balance but he told us it would not work. This is why we ended up doing a manual weight and balance and using 5300 pounds. The MEL is being changed because of this event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 #3 BOOST PUMP INOP. WRONG FUEL, ZERO FUEL WT COMPUTATIONS ADDED TO ACFT WT AND BAL. FUEL EQUIP PROB.

Narrative: THIS EVENT HAPPENED ON THE GND AND CONCERNS THE WT AND BAL. OUR ACFT HAD AN MEL ITEM FOR THE #3 FUEL TANK BOOST PUMP INOP. THIS REQUIRES 5300 LBS OF PENALTY FUEL. THE MEL TELLS US TO PUT 5300 LBS INTO THE ZERO FUEL WT. WE DID THIS ON A MANUAL WT AND BAL. THE FLT STANDARDS DEP CALLED ME A WEEK LATER AND TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS WRONG. THEY SAID THE ZERO FUEL WT SHOULD HAVE HAD 9600 LBS ADDED TO IT NOT 5300 LBS. THE RAMP AGENT TRIED TO PUT 9600 LBS ON THE COMPUTERIZED WT AND BAL BUT HE TOLD US IT WOULD NOT WORK. THIS IS WHY WE ENDED UP DOING A MANUAL WT AND BAL AND USING 5300 LBS. THE MEL IS BEING CHANGED BECAUSE OF THIS EVENT.

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.