<< >> NASA ASRS Report 341542, July 1996

Aircraft equipment problem. Fuel gauge error. Flight crew believes aircraft has fuel leak and diverts to near airport for landing. Gauge error detected on post flight inspection.

Attributes
ACN	341542
Time
Date	199607
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rckh
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pdx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : rctp
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 105 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	341542
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft was en route from sel to mnl. Time and fuel were normal until about 2 hours 30 mins into the flight. One moment we had 8.1, 8.1, 8.1 (8100 pounds). Not more than 5 mins later, the center fuel gauge was at about 1800 pounds. Fuel gauge integrity was suspect at first, then the boost pump lights illuminated one by one. Entire crew was in agreement that we have a massive leak in #2 tank. We immediately got clearance to begin diversion to rckm, and landed without incident. The reality of the situation was that we had a fuel gauge qty error that didn't reveal itself until the fuel qty in tank #2 was depleted to 1800 pounds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. FUEL GAUGE ERROR. FLC BELIEVES ACFT HAS FUEL LEAK AND DIVERTS TO NEAR ARPT FOR LNDG. GAUGE ERROR DETECTED ON POST FLT INSPECTION.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ENRTE FROM SEL TO MNL. TIME AND FUEL WERE NORMAL UNTIL ABOUT 2 HRS 30 MINS INTO THE FLT. ONE MOMENT WE HAD 8.1, 8.1, 8.1 (8100 LBS). NOT MORE THAN 5 MINS LATER, THE CTR FUEL GAUGE WAS AT ABOUT 1800 LBS. FUEL GAUGE INTEGRITY WAS SUSPECT AT FIRST, THEN THE BOOST PUMP LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ONE BY ONE. ENTIRE CREW WAS IN AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE A MASSIVE LEAK IN #2 TANK. WE IMMEDIATELY GOT CLRNC TO BEGIN DIVERSION TO RCKM, AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE REALITY OF THE SIT WAS THAT WE HAD A FUEL GAUGE QTY ERROR THAT DIDN'T REVEAL ITSELF UNTIL THE FUEL QTY IN TANK #2 WAS DEPLETED TO 1800 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.