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Flight crew of widebody transport feels rumble and vibration which they determine is due to large amount of fuel exiting the wingtip vent. Fuel is dumped and they land at nearest airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 382811 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199710 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zse |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zse |
| 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 : other oceanic enroute : pacific |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 22500 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 382811 |
| 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 | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
After leveloff in cruise an occasional airframe rumble and vibration was noticed. An examination of instruments showed nothing extraordinary. However the copilot noticed a leak coming from the right wingtip. The occasional rumble was associated with a large amount of fuel exiting the wingtip vent. It was decided to terminate the flight and land at the nearest suitable airport (which wound up being seattle). After turning toward seattle we analyzed the situation a little further and discovered that fuel was incorrectly going into #3 main tank. (Apparently a valve somewhere in the system was stuck open.) we dumped approximately 70000 pounds of fuel to get down to maximum landing weight of 630000 pounds. No emergency was declared and no emergency equipment was used since the venting was stopped prior to landing. The approach and landing were accomplished without incident.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF WDB FEELS RUMBLE AND VIBRATION WHICH THEY DETERMINE IS DUE TO LARGE AMOUNT OF FUEL EXITING THE WINGTIP VENT. FUEL IS DUMPED AND THEY LAND AT NEAREST ARPT.
Narrative: AFTER LEVELOFF IN CRUISE AN OCCASIONAL AIRFRAME RUMBLE AND VIBRATION WAS NOTICED. AN EXAMINATION OF INSTS SHOWED NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY. HOWEVER THE COPLT NOTICED A LEAK COMING FROM THE R WINGTIP. THE OCCASIONAL RUMBLE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF FUEL EXITING THE WINGTIP VENT. IT WAS DECIDED TO TERMINATE THE FLT AND LAND AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT (WHICH WOUND UP BEING SEATTLE). AFTER TURNING TOWARD SEATTLE WE ANALYZED THE SIT A LITTLE FURTHER AND DISCOVERED THAT FUEL WAS INCORRECTLY GOING INTO #3 MAIN TANK. (APPARENTLY A VALVE SOMEWHERE IN THE SYS WAS STUCK OPEN.) WE DUMPED APPROX 70000 LBS OF FUEL TO GET DOWN TO MAX LNDG WT OF 630000 LBS. NO EMER WAS DECLARED AND NO EMER EQUIP WAS USED SINCE THE VENTING WAS STOPPED PRIOR TO LNDG. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT.
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.