Narrative:

I was the captain of air carrier flight XXX, abc-ZZZ, jun/xa/00. We departed abc, us, 3 hours late due to an unrelated mechanical problem. About 40 mins out of ZZZ on the 4 hour 31 min planned flight, we discovered that #1 fuel tank had stopped feeding fuel to the engine at 18600 pounds. Total fuel remaining was about 37000 pounds. After calculating fuel burn, time remaining, etc, I declared a fuel emergency with ZZZ center and we were given a direct routing to ZZZ. We landed uneventfully with 28000 pounds of fuel, 18600 pounds unusable as far as we knew at the time. We also had a fuel imbal wing-to-wing of about 13000 pounds, but we had ample lateral ctlability. We later found out from maintenance that the #1 tank boost pumps were weak and a remote circuit breaker was faulty in that wing. The fuel situation never reached a critical point with the expeditious handling we received, however, I feel justified with declaring an emergency. Had we encountered any delays or traffic problems we would have been in trouble. We landed with 10000 pounds of usable fuel, 1000 pounds below our minimum reserve. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the problem with the boost pumps was caused by 1 or more remote control circuit breakers opening up and removing power from the pumps. The reporter said the power to the boost pump low pressure warning lights was also interrupted. The reporter said the pumps may have lost 1 or more phases and ran slowly if at all. The reporter stated the fuel imbal was manageable at all times. The reporter said the small cockpit circuit breaker that indicates tripping of the remote control circuit breaker did not indicate any remote control breaker open phases or failure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN L1011 IN CRUISE AT FL370 DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO #1 TANK BOOST PUMPS NOT FEEDING FUEL TO ENGS CAUSED BY OPEN REMOTE CTL CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT OF ACR FLT XXX, ABC-ZZZ, JUN/XA/00. WE DEPARTED ABC, US, 3 HRS LATE DUE TO AN UNRELATED MECHANICAL PROB. ABOUT 40 MINS OUT OF ZZZ ON THE 4 HR 31 MIN PLANNED FLT, WE DISCOVERED THAT #1 FUEL TANK HAD STOPPED FEEDING FUEL TO THE ENG AT 18600 LBS. TOTAL FUEL REMAINING WAS ABOUT 37000 LBS. AFTER CALCULATING FUEL BURN, TIME REMAINING, ETC, I DECLARED A FUEL EMER WITH ZZZ CTR AND WE WERE GIVEN A DIRECT ROUTING TO ZZZ. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY WITH 28000 LBS OF FUEL, 18600 LBS UNUSABLE AS FAR AS WE KNEW AT THE TIME. WE ALSO HAD A FUEL IMBAL WING-TO-WING OF ABOUT 13000 LBS, BUT WE HAD AMPLE LATERAL CTLABILITY. WE LATER FOUND OUT FROM MAINT THAT THE #1 TANK BOOST PUMPS WERE WEAK AND A REMOTE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS FAULTY IN THAT WING. THE FUEL SIT NEVER REACHED A CRITICAL POINT WITH THE EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING WE RECEIVED, HOWEVER, I FEEL JUSTIFIED WITH DECLARING AN EMER. HAD WE ENCOUNTERED ANY DELAYS OR TFC PROBS WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN TROUBLE. WE LANDED WITH 10000 LBS OF USABLE FUEL, 1000 LBS BELOW OUR MINIMUM RESERVE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE PROB WITH THE BOOST PUMPS WAS CAUSED BY 1 OR MORE REMOTE CTL CIRCUIT BREAKERS OPENING UP AND REMOVING PWR FROM THE PUMPS. THE RPTR SAID THE PWR TO THE BOOST PUMP LOW PRESSURE WARNING LIGHTS WAS ALSO INTERRUPTED. THE RPTR SAID THE PUMPS MAY HAVE LOST 1 OR MORE PHASES AND RAN SLOWLY IF AT ALL. THE RPTR STATED THE FUEL IMBAL WAS MANAGEABLE AT ALL TIMES. THE RPTR SAID THE SMALL COCKPIT CIRCUIT BREAKER THAT INDICATES TRIPPING OF THE REMOTE CTL CIRCUIT BREAKER DID NOT INDICATE ANY REMOTE CTL BREAKER OPEN PHASES OR FAILURE.

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.