MD80S aircraft in cruise had faulty fuel quantity indication. Flight crew unable to correct so they ...

Attributes
ACN	386992
Time
Date	199711
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	386992
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Fuel quantity dropped to 2950 pounds left, 3000 pounds right, 3000 pounds center. Previous reading over parker 19900 pounds total, 1800 pounds center. Tested a&B system, both read same. Center tank quantity began increasing. Fuel burn indications normal. Appeared fuel test activated except center quantity increase. No procedure for this found. Declared emergency to divert phx. Requested crash fire rescue equipment check for fuel leaks after landing. Notified flight attendants to discontinue service, put items away as we were diverting to phoenix due to a fuel quantity indicator problem, ETA 15 mins. I determined weight would probably be below 130000 pounds based on fuel burned. However, did not have the ability to accurately determine landing weight/balance. Upon landing roll gauges returned to normal. Crash fire rescue equipment reported no leaks. Taxied to gate, uneventful. Maintenance tests determined faulty part and replaced. Aircraft returned to service in approximately 1 hour.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80S ACFT IN CRUISE HAD FAULTY FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION. FLC UNABLE TO CORRECT SO THEY DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO NEAREST ARPT WHERE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED.

Narrative: FUEL QUANTITY DROPPED TO 2950 LBS L, 3000 LBS R, 3000 LBS CTR. PREVIOUS READING OVER PARKER 19900 LBS TOTAL, 1800 LBS CTR. TESTED A&B SYS, BOTH READ SAME. CTR TANK QUANTITY BEGAN INCREASING. FUEL BURN INDICATIONS NORMAL. APPEARED FUEL TEST ACTIVATED EXCEPT CTR QUANTITY INCREASE. NO PROC FOR THIS FOUND. DECLARED EMER TO DIVERT PHX. REQUESTED CFR CHK FOR FUEL LEAKS AFTER LNDG. NOTIFIED FLT ATTENDANTS TO DISCONTINUE SVC, PUT ITEMS AWAY AS WE WERE DIVERTING TO PHOENIX DUE TO A FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR PROB, ETA 15 MINS. I DETERMINED WT WOULD PROBABLY BE BELOW 130000 LBS BASED ON FUEL BURNED. HOWEVER, DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE LNDG WT/BAL. UPON LNDG ROLL GAUGES RETURNED TO NORMAL. CFR RPTED NO LEAKS. TAXIED TO GATE, UNEVENTFUL. MAINT TESTS DETERMINED FAULTY PART AND REPLACED. ACFT RETURNED TO SVC IN APPROX 1 HR.

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.

MD80S aircraft in cruise had faulty fuel quantity indication. Flight crew unable to correct so they declared an emergency and diverted to nearest airport where repairs were completed.