Narrative:

On our flight from mci-tol, we had to divert into stl. Due to an actual zero fuel weight of 139586 pounds, we had tanks #1 and #3 fueled to 22000 pounds, and tank #2 fueled to a known fuel (due to fuel gauge #2 was inoperative and MEL'ed) of 6000 pounds. After takeoff, I noticed flight engineer was burning fuel 'tank to engine.' instructed him to have all xfeeds open, #1 and #3 boost pumps on, and #2 tank boost pumps off. I caught this a couple mins after takeoff, so was no big deal. We had not even got to our first fuel check point when the flight engineer noticed tank #1 was using fuel quickly (an imbal) and tank #3 fuel usage was stopped at 9600 pounds! We checked that the xfeed was open (it was) and cycled it multiple times. The #3 valve open and closed, and the blue valve light came 'on' and 'off' just as it should, indicating it had opened like normal. We made sure it was opened. We checked circuit breakers and reset them. We went to the checklist, and since the valve was acting 'closed,' even though it visually showed it was working, we did as checklist says, and landed at stl. We called our flight following (dispatch) and informed them of the situation. They mentioned to go to stl, but then we got out of range of commercial radio. We informed ATC that we needed to divert to stl and that we need to dump fuel and the reason 'why.' we dumped the #3 tank (with ATC permission) to 3300 pounds to keep it within 1000 pounds of tank #1, which had 2500 pounds. Had equipment standing by. Landing was under maximum landing weight and normal. I thought our crew did great, and CRM worked quite well. I was quite frequently checking the fuel situation, keeping watch on balance, etc. I plan to be even more careful of such in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CREW HAD A FUEL XFEED VALVE FAIL. THE CTR TANK FUEL QUANTITY WAS MEL'ED INOP.

Narrative: ON OUR FLT FROM MCI-TOL, WE HAD TO DIVERT INTO STL. DUE TO AN ACTUAL ZERO FUEL WT OF 139586 LBS, WE HAD TANKS #1 AND #3 FUELED TO 22000 LBS, AND TANK #2 FUELED TO A KNOWN FUEL (DUE TO FUEL GAUGE #2 WAS INOP AND MEL'ED) OF 6000 LBS. AFTER TKOF, I NOTICED FE WAS BURNING FUEL 'TANK TO ENG.' INSTRUCTED HIM TO HAVE ALL XFEEDS OPEN, #1 AND #3 BOOST PUMPS ON, AND #2 TANK BOOST PUMPS OFF. I CAUGHT THIS A COUPLE MINS AFTER TKOF, SO WAS NO BIG DEAL. WE HAD NOT EVEN GOT TO OUR FIRST FUEL CHK POINT WHEN THE FE NOTICED TANK #1 WAS USING FUEL QUICKLY (AN IMBAL) AND TANK #3 FUEL USAGE WAS STOPPED AT 9600 LBS! WE CHKED THAT THE XFEED WAS OPEN (IT WAS) AND CYCLED IT MULTIPLE TIMES. THE #3 VALVE OPEN AND CLOSED, AND THE BLUE VALVE LIGHT CAME 'ON' AND 'OFF' JUST AS IT SHOULD, INDICATING IT HAD OPENED LIKE NORMAL. WE MADE SURE IT WAS OPENED. WE CHKED CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND RESET THEM. WE WENT TO THE CHKLIST, AND SINCE THE VALVE WAS ACTING 'CLOSED,' EVEN THOUGH IT VISUALLY SHOWED IT WAS WORKING, WE DID AS CHKLIST SAYS, AND LANDED AT STL. WE CALLED OUR FLT FOLLOWING (DISPATCH) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE SIT. THEY MENTIONED TO GO TO STL, BUT THEN WE GOT OUT OF RANGE OF COMMERCIAL RADIO. WE INFORMED ATC THAT WE NEEDED TO DIVERT TO STL AND THAT WE NEED TO DUMP FUEL AND THE REASON 'WHY.' WE DUMPED THE #3 TANK (WITH ATC PERMISSION) TO 3300 LBS TO KEEP IT WITHIN 1000 LBS OF TANK #1, WHICH HAD 2500 LBS. HAD EQUIP STANDING BY. LNDG WAS UNDER MAX LNDG WT AND NORMAL. I THOUGHT OUR CREW DID GREAT, AND CRM WORKED QUITE WELL. I WAS QUITE FREQUENTLY CHKING THE FUEL SIT, KEEPING WATCH ON BAL, ETC. I PLAN TO BE EVEN MORE CAREFUL OF SUCH IN THE FUTURE.

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.