A DC9-30 in cruise at FL290, indicated that the left fuel quantity indicator dropped 4000 pounds. On ground, when tank sticks were checked, left tank was found empty.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	475478
Time
Date	200006
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hlg.airport
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j34.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	475478
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	475749
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : left fuel qty indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

While in cruise phase of flight, l-hand fuel gauge dropped from approximately 6000 pounds to 2000 pounds. Aircraft had history of l-hand fuel gauge problems. Did company procedure for erroneous fuel indications and continued to destination. While working approach control approximately 15 NM from airport, suspect fuel gauge approached zero pounds. Feeling uncomfortable with suspect fuel gauge at zero, I turned on ignition and opened fuel xfeed valve. We had normal landing and taxied to parking. After deplaning, I went down and dropped l-hand wing dripless fuel sticks to check amount of fuel in wing tank. All 4 sticks dropped to bottom of tank. There was no fuel in l-hand wing tank. After a review of aircraft logbook fuel records and fuel slip for flight, we noticed an error in the fuel gauge amounts. At the time of refueling cockpit l-hand fuel gauge showed 3500 pounds, yet at the wing fueling station the fuel amount was recorded as 6600 pounds. Our company maintenance personnel are unclr how this could happen. The l-hand fuel quantity indicating system was once again placed on MEL as inoperative.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 IN CRUISE AT FL290, INDICATED THAT THE L FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR DROPPED 4000 LBS. ON GND, WHEN TANK STICKS WERE CHKED, L TANK WAS FOUND EMPTY.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE PHASE OF FLT, L-HAND FUEL GAUGE DROPPED FROM APPROX 6000 LBS TO 2000 LBS. ACFT HAD HISTORY OF L-HAND FUEL GAUGE PROBS. DID COMPANY PROC FOR ERRONEOUS FUEL INDICATIONS AND CONTINUED TO DEST. WHILE WORKING APCH CTL APPROX 15 NM FROM ARPT, SUSPECT FUEL GAUGE APCHED ZERO LBS. FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE WITH SUSPECT FUEL GAUGE AT ZERO, I TURNED ON IGNITION AND OPENED FUEL XFEED VALVE. WE HAD NORMAL LNDG AND TAXIED TO PARKING. AFTER DEPLANING, I WENT DOWN AND DROPPED L-HAND WING DRIPLESS FUEL STICKS TO CHK AMOUNT OF FUEL IN WING TANK. ALL 4 STICKS DROPPED TO BOTTOM OF TANK. THERE WAS NO FUEL IN L-HAND WING TANK. AFTER A REVIEW OF ACFT LOGBOOK FUEL RECORDS AND FUEL SLIP FOR FLT, WE NOTICED AN ERROR IN THE FUEL GAUGE AMOUNTS. AT THE TIME OF REFUELING COCKPIT L-HAND FUEL GAUGE SHOWED 3500 LBS, YET AT THE WING FUELING STATION THE FUEL AMOUNT WAS RECORDED AS 6600 LBS. OUR COMPANY MAINT PERSONNEL ARE UNCLR HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN. THE L-HAND FUEL QUANTITY INDICATING SYS WAS ONCE AGAIN PLACED ON MEL AS INOP.

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.