B767 crew ran center fuel tank dry.

Attributes
ACN	450760
Time
Date	199910
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90.tracon
State Reference	NY
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	450760
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	450761
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Fuel in center tank. On climb out, center fuel pump lights illuminated on EICAS. I immediately checked the center fuel pumps and they were in fact on. All of the 1200 pounds of fuel that was in the center tank had been used. I remember only turning on the 4 main tank pumps. What I thought I checked, but obviously did not, was that the center pumps were off. Evidently they were left on by the refuelers or maintenance. I think the cliche is I saw what I wanted to see. During the checklist I saw that we had the proper amount of fuel, that it was balanced, and we had the 1000 pounds required for the center tank and the switches were in the proper position. During the just prior to engine start checklist, I turned on only the 4 main tank fuel pumps. Almost always all fuel boost switches are off -- if not from the previous flight -- you ensure they are off prior to or during the before starting checklist. This one slipped by me. Believe me, it will never happen again. Supplemental information from acn 450761: we inadvertently turned the center tank fuel boost pumps on for takeoff and burned off the 1000 pounds of fuel which was supposed to remain unused as ballast fuel per bulletin on this particular model of B767.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CREW RAN CTR FUEL TANK DRY.

Narrative: FUEL IN CTR TANK. ON CLBOUT, CTR FUEL PUMP LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON EICAS. I IMMEDIATELY CHKED THE CTR FUEL PUMPS AND THEY WERE IN FACT ON. ALL OF THE 1200 LBS OF FUEL THAT WAS IN THE CTR TANK HAD BEEN USED. I REMEMBER ONLY TURNING ON THE 4 MAIN TANK PUMPS. WHAT I THOUGHT I CHKED, BUT OBVIOUSLY DID NOT, WAS THAT THE CTR PUMPS WERE OFF. EVIDENTLY THEY WERE LEFT ON BY THE REFUELERS OR MAINT. I THINK THE CLICHE IS I SAW WHAT I WANTED TO SEE. DURING THE CHKLIST I SAW THAT WE HAD THE PROPER AMOUNT OF FUEL, THAT IT WAS BALANCED, AND WE HAD THE 1000 LBS REQUIRED FOR THE CTR TANK AND THE SWITCHES WERE IN THE PROPER POS. DURING THE JUST PRIOR TO ENG START CHKLIST, I TURNED ON ONLY THE 4 MAIN TANK FUEL PUMPS. ALMOST ALWAYS ALL FUEL BOOST SWITCHES ARE OFF -- IF NOT FROM THE PREVIOUS FLT -- YOU ENSURE THEY ARE OFF PRIOR TO OR DURING THE BEFORE STARTING CHKLIST. THIS ONE SLIPPED BY ME. BELIEVE ME, IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 450761: WE INADVERTENTLY TURNED THE CTR TANK FUEL BOOST PUMPS ON FOR TKOF AND BURNED OFF THE 1000 LBS OF FUEL WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO REMAIN UNUSED AS BALLAST FUEL PER BULLETIN ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF B767.

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.