Narrative:

Our zero fuel weight out of mci was 139586 pounds. Because of company policy and our supplementary type certificate, if zero fuel weight is above 138000 pounds we fuel in this situation tanks #1, #2, and #3 up to 6000 pounds across, then fill tanks #1 and #3 up to 11000 ft -- that makes a total of 28000 pounds fuel. The #2 fuel gauge was inoperative, so to get a known quantity every time we take on fuel we would have to xfer fuel from #2 to #1 and #3 tanks then fuel #2 tank first. We take off out of mci tank to engine during climb check. We then xfeed fuel from #1 and #3 tanks down to 6000 pounds, then go back to tank to engine. Started the xfeed. The xfeed light came on then off. (Showed to work fine.) looked up a few mins later after completing climb check and paperwork to find a 3000 pound fuel imbal. All 3 engines were running off tank #1. Went back to tank to engine, pulled reset circuit breakers, called company. Nothing worked, couldn't get fuel out of tank #3 and had no idea what was in tank #2 by this time, since gauge was inoperative and other things weren't working like they should. So, decided to divert to stl. Had to dump 3000 pounds fuel out of tank #3 only to be able to land within limits. Maintenance looked at plane, couldn't find anything wrong, and signed off on aircraft. Because we didn't have as far to go to get to tol, the zero fuel weight was below 138000 pounds and we could go tank to engine, which we did. We had flown the plane 1 1/2 days tank to engine with no problem. Just outside tol, after we were assured could make the airport, tried xfeeding again. Some problem all out of #1 only. Wrote up the plane again in tol. Nothing really could have been done differently because of the unknown in tank #2. Filled out company incident report. Never heard from company chief pilot, etc. No matter how tired in the middle of the night, the most important tool we had was CRM. With the checking and doublechking of each other we were able to complete the flight safely and without any damage to equipment or violation of FARS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLC FOLLOWED NORMAL FUEL USAGE SCHEDULE AND FOUND THAT AFTER A XFEED OP FUEL COULD BE BURNED FROM TANK #1 AND DIVERTED TO STL.

Narrative: OUR ZERO FUEL WT OUT OF MCI WAS 139586 LBS. BECAUSE OF COMPANY POLICY AND OUR SUPPLEMENTARY TYPE CERTIFICATE, IF ZERO FUEL WT IS ABOVE 138000 LBS WE FUEL IN THIS SIT TANKS #1, #2, AND #3 UP TO 6000 LBS ACROSS, THEN FILL TANKS #1 AND #3 UP TO 11000 FT -- THAT MAKES A TOTAL OF 28000 LBS FUEL. THE #2 FUEL GAUGE WAS INOP, SO TO GET A KNOWN QUANTITY EVERY TIME WE TAKE ON FUEL WE WOULD HAVE TO XFER FUEL FROM #2 TO #1 AND #3 TANKS THEN FUEL #2 TANK FIRST. WE TAKE OFF OUT OF MCI TANK TO ENG DURING CLB CHK. WE THEN XFEED FUEL FROM #1 AND #3 TANKS DOWN TO 6000 LBS, THEN GO BACK TO TANK TO ENG. STARTED THE XFEED. THE XFEED LIGHT CAME ON THEN OFF. (SHOWED TO WORK FINE.) LOOKED UP A FEW MINS LATER AFTER COMPLETING CLB CHK AND PAPERWORK TO FIND A 3000 LB FUEL IMBAL. ALL 3 ENGS WERE RUNNING OFF TANK #1. WENT BACK TO TANK TO ENG, PULLED RESET CIRCUIT BREAKERS, CALLED COMPANY. NOTHING WORKED, COULDN'T GET FUEL OUT OF TANK #3 AND HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS IN TANK #2 BY THIS TIME, SINCE GAUGE WAS INOP AND OTHER THINGS WEREN'T WORKING LIKE THEY SHOULD. SO, DECIDED TO DIVERT TO STL. HAD TO DUMP 3000 LBS FUEL OUT OF TANK #3 ONLY TO BE ABLE TO LAND WITHIN LIMITS. MAINT LOOKED AT PLANE, COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, AND SIGNED OFF ON ACFT. BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE AS FAR TO GO TO GET TO TOL, THE ZERO FUEL WT WAS BELOW 138000 LBS AND WE COULD GO TANK TO ENG, WHICH WE DID. WE HAD FLOWN THE PLANE 1 1/2 DAYS TANK TO ENG WITH NO PROB. JUST OUTSIDE TOL, AFTER WE WERE ASSURED COULD MAKE THE ARPT, TRIED XFEEDING AGAIN. SOME PROB ALL OUT OF #1 ONLY. WROTE UP THE PLANE AGAIN IN TOL. NOTHING REALLY COULD HAVE BEEN DONE DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF THE UNKNOWN IN TANK #2. FILLED OUT COMPANY INCIDENT RPT. NEVER HEARD FROM COMPANY CHIEF PLT, ETC. NO MATTER HOW TIRED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL WE HAD WAS CRM. WITH THE CHKING AND DOUBLECHKING OF EACH OTHER WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE FLT SAFELY AND WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE TO EQUIP OR VIOLATION OF FARS.

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.