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An R80 captain reported that, while on short final at sfo, the first officer who was the PF, mentioned that the aircraft felt out of trim. Upon further examination, the captain found that the xfeed fuel valve was open, even though no xfeeding had taken place.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 490643 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200011 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sfo.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 490643 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
On short final into sfo, with the first officer flying the aircraft, the first officer made a comment that the airplane felt out of trim. After landing, we both noticed a fuel imbalance of approximately 2500 pounds between the wing tanks. During taxi-in, I discovered that the fuel xfeed valve was open. During the entire flight we never xfed any fuel, so it must have been from the previous flight. Because the flight was very short in duration, I only did 1 fuel check during cruise and, to the best of my recollection, the wing tanks were balanced. I mentioned the imbalance to maintenance at the gate in sfo and he said that they would make sure the aircraft was fueled to have a balanced load before moving the aircraft. I have learned 2 things from this mistake. One is to always check that the fuel xfeed valve is closed during the before starting engines checklist. Second, always check and note the load, not only in the center tank, but in each wing tank, not just the total load.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN R80 CAPT RPTED THAT, WHILE ON SHORT FINAL AT SFO, THE FO WHO WAS THE PF, MENTIONED THAT THE ACFT FELT OUT OF TRIM. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION, THE CAPT FOUND THAT THE XFEED FUEL VALVE WAS OPEN, EVEN THOUGH NO XFEEDING HAD TAKEN PLACE.
Narrative: ON SHORT FINAL INTO SFO, WITH THE FO FLYING THE ACFT, THE FO MADE A COMMENT THAT THE AIRPLANE FELT OUT OF TRIM. AFTER LNDG, WE BOTH NOTICED A FUEL IMBALANCE OF APPROX 2500 LBS BTWN THE WING TANKS. DURING TAXI-IN, I DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL XFEED VALVE WAS OPEN. DURING THE ENTIRE FLT WE NEVER XFED ANY FUEL, SO IT MUST HAVE BEEN FROM THE PREVIOUS FLT. BECAUSE THE FLT WAS VERY SHORT IN DURATION, I ONLY DID 1 FUEL CHK DURING CRUISE AND, TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION, THE WING TANKS WERE BALANCED. I MENTIONED THE IMBALANCE TO MAINT AT THE GATE IN SFO AND HE SAID THAT THEY WOULD MAKE SURE THE ACFT WAS FUELED TO HAVE A BALANCED LOAD BEFORE MOVING THE ACFT. I HAVE LEARNED 2 THINGS FROM THIS MISTAKE. ONE IS TO ALWAYS CHK THAT THE FUEL XFEED VALVE IS CLOSED DURING THE BEFORE STARTING ENGS CHKLIST. SECOND, ALWAYS CHK AND NOTE THE LOAD, NOT ONLY IN THE CTR TANK, BUT IN EACH WING TANK, NOT JUST THE TOTAL LOAD.
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.