B747-400 crew mishandled fuel xfeed and exceeded company maximum flap speed.

Attributes
ACN	520136
Time
Date	200107
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : c90.tracon
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time type : 359
ASRS Report	520136
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Exceedance of air carrier X flap speed. Reached momentary maximum of 275 KTS with flaps 1 degree still extended. Boeing aircraft limit is 280 KTS. On climb out O'hare captain became momentarily distracted on flap retraction by 'fuel confign' EICAS message as flaps went from 10 degrees to 5 degrees. When the message came on the other 3 pilots were discussing what had caused it (incorrect center xfeed confign that was missed by all and system logic would announce it when going out of takeoff flap range). Speed allowed to advance to near clean maneuvering speed before flaps were called to 'up.' maximum speed reached 275 KTS for momentary period. Captain violated basic principle that someone must be flying the aircraft despite the confusion. No damage done but speed was allowed to exceed the air carrier X limit. Lesson learned...pay constant attention to task at hand despite cockpit confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 CREW MISHANDLED FUEL XFEED AND EXCEEDED COMPANY MAX FLAP SPD.

Narrative: EXCEEDANCE OF ACR X FLAP SPD. REACHED MOMENTARY MAX OF 275 KTS WITH FLAPS 1 DEG STILL EXTENDED. BOEING ACFT LIMIT IS 280 KTS. ON CLBOUT O'HARE CAPT BECAME MOMENTARILY DISTRACTED ON FLAP RETRACTION BY 'FUEL CONFIGN' EICAS MESSAGE AS FLAPS WENT FROM 10 DEGS TO 5 DEGS. WHEN THE MESSAGE CAME ON THE OTHER 3 PLTS WERE DISCUSSING WHAT HAD CAUSED IT (INCORRECT CTR XFEED CONFIGN THAT WAS MISSED BY ALL AND SYS LOGIC WOULD ANNOUNCE IT WHEN GOING OUT OF TKOF FLAP RANGE). SPD ALLOWED TO ADVANCE TO NEAR CLEAN MANEUVERING SPD BEFORE FLAPS WERE CALLED TO 'UP.' MAX SPD REACHED 275 KTS FOR MOMENTARY PERIOD. CAPT VIOLATED BASIC PRINCIPLE THAT SOMEONE MUST BE FLYING THE ACFT DESPITE THE CONFUSION. NO DAMAGE DONE BUT SPD WAS ALLOWED TO EXCEED THE ACR X LIMIT. LESSON LEARNED...PAY CONSTANT ATTN TO TASK AT HAND DESPITE COCKPIT CONFUSION.

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.