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A B727-200 in cruise at FL310 diverted due to unable to feed all engines from #2 tank caused by a #2 tank xfeed valve failed closed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 421833 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199812 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : onl |
| State Reference | NE |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Flight Phase | cruise other other other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zmp |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : second officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 70 |
| ASRS Report | 421833 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 7450 flight time type : 350 |
| ASRS Report | 422039 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
Narrative:
I was the flight engineer on a B727, flight msp to lax, level at FL310. Noticed fuel was not feeding correctly. Had all xfeeds open, feeding all engines from tank #2, but tanks #1 and #3 were decreasing. They were from 9000 pounds to 10000 pounds each and should have been at 11500 pounds each. There was no procedure written for this situation, so phone patch through dispatch and discussed problem with them and maintenance. Being unable to resolve problem agreed to return to msp. We called ATC and requested a return to msp with priority handling. We did not declare an emergency, but they declared one for us and cleared us direct to msp at FL290. On the return, we dumped about 14000 pounds of fuel to correct imbal and to get down to landing weight. A normal return and landing was made at msp with no further problems. Upon landing, maintenance discovered the #2 tank xfeed valve had failed in the almost closed position, permitting very little fuel to flow from tank #2 to tanks #1 and #3.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B727-200 IN CRUISE AT FL310 DIVERTED DUE TO UNABLE TO FEED ALL ENGS FROM #2 TANK CAUSED BY A #2 TANK XFEED VALVE FAILED CLOSED.
Narrative: I WAS THE FE ON A B727, FLT MSP TO LAX, LEVEL AT FL310. NOTICED FUEL WAS NOT FEEDING CORRECTLY. HAD ALL XFEEDS OPEN, FEEDING ALL ENGS FROM TANK #2, BUT TANKS #1 AND #3 WERE DECREASING. THEY WERE FROM 9000 LBS TO 10000 LBS EACH AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 11500 LBS EACH. THERE WAS NO PROC WRITTEN FOR THIS SIT, SO PHONE PATCH THROUGH DISPATCH AND DISCUSSED PROB WITH THEM AND MAINT. BEING UNABLE TO RESOLVE PROB AGREED TO RETURN TO MSP. WE CALLED ATC AND REQUESTED A RETURN TO MSP WITH PRIORITY HANDLING. WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER, BUT THEY DECLARED ONE FOR US AND CLRED US DIRECT TO MSP AT FL290. ON THE RETURN, WE DUMPED ABOUT 14000 LBS OF FUEL TO CORRECT IMBAL AND TO GET DOWN TO LNDG WT. A NORMAL RETURN AND LNDG WAS MADE AT MSP WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. UPON LNDG, MAINT DISCOVERED THE #2 TANK XFEED VALVE HAD FAILED IN THE ALMOST CLOSED POS, PERMITTING VERY LITTLE FUEL TO FLOW FROM TANK #2 TO TANKS #1 AND #3.
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.