A B757-200 PIC report on the inadequacies of the MEL regarding measuring stick use for inoperative m...

Attributes
ACN	427637
Time
Date	199902
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	427637
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	427638
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

Trip ord to sna scheduled for XA50 departure. Logbook was placarded left main fuel quantity gauge. MEL states that after each refueling the total fuel quantity in all tanks containing fuel is verified by measuring sticks. MEL goes on to state that placards will be installed on captain's instrument panel and on the wing fueling panel to read 'fuel quantity in all tanks containing fuel must be verified by measuring sticks and verified by cockpit crew members.' verification by measuring sticks is not a realistic, timely option -- at least in ord and sna. Aircraft must be 0 degrees pitch and roll using aircraft inclinometer and a plumb bob. No such plumb bob could be found in either ord or sna. Using measuring sticks is quick and straight forward but verifying aircraft pitch and roll to 0 degrees is not timely or realistic. I feel the procedure in the MEL is not clear nor necessarily correct. I believe I made a mistake using the xfeed system to empty and refill the left main tank to verify quantity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 PIC RPT ON THE INADEQUACIES OF THE MEL REGARDING MEASURING STICK USE FOR INOP MAIN FUEL GAUGES. NECESSARY GND SUPPORT EQUIP NOT FOUND AT SNA, CA, NOR AT ORD, IL.

Narrative: TRIP ORD TO SNA SCHEDULED FOR XA50 DEP. LOGBOOK WAS PLACARDED L MAIN FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE. MEL STATES THAT AFTER EACH REFUELING THE TOTAL FUEL QUANTITY IN ALL TANKS CONTAINING FUEL IS VERIFIED BY MEASURING STICKS. MEL GOES ON TO STATE THAT PLACARDS WILL BE INSTALLED ON CAPT'S INST PANEL AND ON THE WING FUELING PANEL TO READ 'FUEL QUANTITY IN ALL TANKS CONTAINING FUEL MUST BE VERIFIED BY MEASURING STICKS AND VERIFIED BY COCKPIT CREW MEMBERS.' VERIFICATION BY MEASURING STICKS IS NOT A REALISTIC, TIMELY OPTION -- AT LEAST IN ORD AND SNA. ACFT MUST BE 0 DEGS PITCH AND ROLL USING ACFT INCLINOMETER AND A PLUMB BOB. NO SUCH PLUMB BOB COULD BE FOUND IN EITHER ORD OR SNA. USING MEASURING STICKS IS QUICK AND STRAIGHT FORWARD BUT VERIFYING ACFT PITCH AND ROLL TO 0 DEGS IS NOT TIMELY OR REALISTIC. I FEEL THE PROC IN THE MEL IS NOT CLR NOR NECESSARILY CORRECT. I BELIEVE I MADE A MISTAKE USING THE XFEED SYS TO EMPTY AND REFILL THE L MAIN TANK TO VERIFY QUANTITY.

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.

A B757-200 PIC report on the inadequacies of the MEL regarding measuring stick use for inoperative main fuel gauges. Necessary ground support equipment not found at sna, ca, nor at ord, il.