Narrative:

Declared emergency for minimum fuel/fuel imbal. Inbound to dfw approaching fever intersection, discovered an approximately 4150 pound fuel imbal on main tanks (left 1950 pounds, right 6100 pounds). Investigation discovered fuel xfeed lever on. Configured to pump fuel from right system and opted to get out of the inbound traffic flow to evaluate options. Approach gave us a right turn to 240 degrees, and asked for intentions. With approximately 5400 pounds remaining (1900 pounds/3500 pounds) as asked to 're-enter' the flow inbound. Approach advised '#6 in line now. Expect to continue outbound for a while.' we declared minimum fuel and asked again to turn back in. We were advised that we would have to continue outbound another 5 mins. Our best guess put us some 150-175 mi from landing with that additional time, so I declared an emergency -- emergency fuel. We were turned inbound immediately and landed without incident. Fuel at the gate 3900 pounds (1650 pounds/2250 pounds). Upon reflection, I remember checking total fuel before takeoff, but not balance. I remember turning off center pumps, but not checking balance. At mex, we were parked at a remote site, but were told we would be towed to a gate. A local crew chief sat in the captain's seat for some time (15-20 mins) and I assumed he was preparing to do the move. Operations finally decided not to move, and that's when the crew chief left. Since I had just flown the plane down, neither I nor the first officer thought to doublechk items -- like the fuel xfeed lever -- that normally are not checked on cockpit clean-up inspection. Possibly in preparing the aircraft for towing, the lever was inadvertently left on. Better checklist discipline and xchk could have averted this careless event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD MAJOR FUEL IMBAL AT DFW, BECAUSE THE FUEL XFEED WAS LEFT OPEN.

Narrative: DECLARED EMER FOR MINIMUM FUEL/FUEL IMBAL. INBOUND TO DFW APCHING FEVER INTXN, DISCOVERED AN APPROX 4150 LB FUEL IMBAL ON MAIN TANKS (L 1950 LBS, R 6100 LBS). INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED FUEL XFEED LEVER ON. CONFIGURED TO PUMP FUEL FROM R SYS AND OPTED TO GET OUT OF THE INBOUND TFC FLOW TO EVALUATE OPTIONS. APCH GAVE US A R TURN TO 240 DEGS, AND ASKED FOR INTENTIONS. WITH APPROX 5400 LBS REMAINING (1900 LBS/3500 LBS) AS ASKED TO 'RE-ENTER' THE FLOW INBOUND. APCH ADVISED '#6 IN LINE NOW. EXPECT TO CONTINUE OUTBOUND FOR A WHILE.' WE DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL AND ASKED AGAIN TO TURN BACK IN. WE WERE ADVISED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE OUTBOUND ANOTHER 5 MINS. OUR BEST GUESS PUT US SOME 150-175 MI FROM LNDG WITH THAT ADDITIONAL TIME, SO I DECLARED AN EMER -- EMER FUEL. WE WERE TURNED INBOUND IMMEDIATELY AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. FUEL AT THE GATE 3900 LBS (1650 LBS/2250 LBS). UPON REFLECTION, I REMEMBER CHKING TOTAL FUEL BEFORE TKOF, BUT NOT BAL. I REMEMBER TURNING OFF CTR PUMPS, BUT NOT CHKING BAL. AT MEX, WE WERE PARKED AT A REMOTE SITE, BUT WERE TOLD WE WOULD BE TOWED TO A GATE. A LCL CREW CHIEF SAT IN THE CAPT'S SEAT FOR SOME TIME (15-20 MINS) AND I ASSUMED HE WAS PREPARING TO DO THE MOVE. OPS FINALLY DECIDED NOT TO MOVE, AND THAT'S WHEN THE CREW CHIEF LEFT. SINCE I HAD JUST FLOWN THE PLANE DOWN, NEITHER I NOR THE FO THOUGHT TO DOUBLECHK ITEMS -- LIKE THE FUEL XFEED LEVER -- THAT NORMALLY ARE NOT CHKED ON COCKPIT CLEAN-UP INSPECTION. POSSIBLY IN PREPARING THE ACFT FOR TOWING, THE LEVER WAS INADVERTENTLY LEFT ON. BETTER CHKLIST DISCIPLINE AND XCHK COULD HAVE AVERTED THIS CARELESS EVENT.

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.