A DC10-10 in climb at FL200 had #2 engine roll back to idle due to all #2 tank boost pumps inadvertently switched to off position caused by an improperly installed switch guard on the fuel panel.

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Attributes
ACN	424465
Time
Date	199812
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 10
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zdv
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	424465
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Climbing through FL200 out of den, the #2 engine RPM rolled back towards approximately idle RPM. The #2 fuel tank pump switches were checked and placed to the 'on' position which restored fuel flow. The engine stabilized and was returned to normal climb power. Apparently the #2 fuel tank switches had been accidentally turned off by the flight engineer by an unknown means. The wire safety guard over these switches was found to be installed upside down allowing the switches to be bumped off. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the so inadvertently bumped the switches with an arm or a manual while moving it on the desk. The reporter said the switch guard is about 5 inches in length and normally locks the boost pump switches to the 'on' position. The reporter stated this switch guard was installed improperly and guarded the switches to the 'off' position. The reporter said if the switch guard was installed correctly it would have prevented the switches from moving inadvertently from on to off.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10-10 IN CLB AT FL200 HAD #2 ENG ROLL BACK TO IDLE DUE TO ALL #2 TANK BOOST PUMPS INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED TO OFF POS CAUSED BY AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED SWITCH GUARD ON THE FUEL PANEL.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH FL200 OUT OF DEN, THE #2 ENG RPM ROLLED BACK TOWARDS APPROX IDLE RPM. THE #2 FUEL TANK PUMP SWITCHES WERE CHKED AND PLACED TO THE 'ON' POS WHICH RESTORED FUEL FLOW. THE ENG STABILIZED AND WAS RETURNED TO NORMAL CLB PWR. APPARENTLY THE #2 FUEL TANK SWITCHES HAD BEEN ACCIDENTALLY TURNED OFF BY THE FE BY AN UNKNOWN MEANS. THE WIRE SAFETY GUARD OVER THESE SWITCHES WAS FOUND TO BE INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN ALLOWING THE SWITCHES TO BE BUMPED OFF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE SO INADVERTENTLY BUMPED THE SWITCHES WITH AN ARM OR A MANUAL WHILE MOVING IT ON THE DESK. THE RPTR SAID THE SWITCH GUARD IS ABOUT 5 INCHES IN LENGTH AND NORMALLY LOCKS THE BOOST PUMP SWITCHES TO THE 'ON' POS. THE RPTR STATED THIS SWITCH GUARD WAS INSTALLED IMPROPERLY AND GUARDED THE SWITCHES TO THE 'OFF' POS. THE RPTR SAID IF THE SWITCH GUARD WAS INSTALLED CORRECTLY IT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE SWITCHES FROM MOVING INADVERTENTLY FROM ON TO OFF.

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.