MD80 crew inadvertently burns ballast fuel on a maintenance ferry flight.

Attributes
ACN	451649
Time
Date	199910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cos.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
ASRS Report	451649
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	451650
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Upon showing at XB00 for a maintenance ferry flight, the crew was confronted with numerous major MEL problems -- autoplt, autothrottles, and APU generator were inoperative. Aircraft departed on time, but after leveloff at FL310 it was discovered that the center pumps were on and burning down the ballast fuel in the center tank. Center tank pumps were immediately turned off with 2000 pounds center tank fuel remaining. Dispatch and load control were consulted, resulting in extra fuel burnoff in the wing tanks to bring the center of gravity forward for landing. An uneventful landing was made at dfw. The short notice reassignment for awakening at XA00 for the ferry flight -- plus all nonstandard MEL procedures to contend with at that hour contributed to overlooking the ballast fuel conservation during climb out.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW INADVERTENTLY BURNS BALLAST FUEL ON A MAINT FERRY FLT.

Narrative: UPON SHOWING AT XB00 FOR A MAINT FERRY FLT, THE CREW WAS CONFRONTED WITH NUMEROUS MAJOR MEL PROBS -- AUTOPLT, AUTOTHROTTLES, AND APU GENERATOR WERE INOP. ACFT DEPARTED ON TIME, BUT AFTER LEVELOFF AT FL310 IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CTR PUMPS WERE ON AND BURNING DOWN THE BALLAST FUEL IN THE CTR TANK. CTR TANK PUMPS WERE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF WITH 2000 LBS CTR TANK FUEL REMAINING. DISPATCH AND LOAD CTL WERE CONSULTED, RESULTING IN EXTRA FUEL BURNOFF IN THE WING TANKS TO BRING THE CTR OF GRAVITY FORWARD FOR LNDG. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE AT DFW. THE SHORT NOTICE REASSIGNMENT FOR AWAKENING AT XA00 FOR THE FERRY FLT -- PLUS ALL NONSTANDARD MEL PROCS TO CONTEND WITH AT THAT HR CONTRIBUTED TO OVERLOOKING THE BALLAST FUEL CONSERVATION DURING CLBOUT.

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.