MD80 flight crew found fuel imbalance during climb out which they could not keep corrected after xferring fuel resulting in declaring an emergency and returning to land.

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Attributes
ACN	536237
Time
Date	200201
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : t75.tracon tower : cle.tower
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	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	536237
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

With 19400 pounds of fuel (both mains full), flight departed stl for mke. Almost immediately after takeoff, I had to start trimming right wing down. At about 10000 ft, we both noticed left main full (9300 pounds) and right main 7300 pounds. I switched 'a' to 'B' to check the fuel gauges. While still climbing, we opened the xfeed and turned off the right fuel pumps. The right fuel pressure low light flickered on, but the fuel balanced. We closed the xfeed and the right tank started emptying out again. A 2000 pound difference would take about 5 mins. At this point, we declared an emergency and turned back to stl, all the while using on and off xfeeding to maintain balance. At zumay, runway 24, we closed the xfeed with balanced fuel and landed 1500 pounds out of balance. Normal landing. Maintenance found the wing fuel panel door open and the defueling valve open. We have just switched procedures. We no longer receive a signed fuel slip showing panel secure. Maintenance no longer performs final walkaround and the newly trained ground crews give us a verbal 'all secure below.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLC FOUND FUEL IMBALANCE DURING CLBOUT WHICH THEY COULD NOT KEEP CORRECTED AFTER XFERRING FUEL RESULTING IN DECLARING AN EMER AND RETURNING TO LAND.

Narrative: WITH 19400 LBS OF FUEL (BOTH MAINS FULL), FLT DEPARTED STL FOR MKE. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF, I HAD TO START TRIMMING R WING DOWN. AT ABOUT 10000 FT, WE BOTH NOTICED L MAIN FULL (9300 LBS) AND R MAIN 7300 LBS. I SWITCHED 'A' TO 'B' TO CHK THE FUEL GAUGES. WHILE STILL CLBING, WE OPENED THE XFEED AND TURNED OFF THE R FUEL PUMPS. THE R FUEL PRESSURE LOW LIGHT FLICKERED ON, BUT THE FUEL BALANCED. WE CLOSED THE XFEED AND THE R TANK STARTED EMPTYING OUT AGAIN. A 2000 LB DIFFERENCE WOULD TAKE ABOUT 5 MINS. AT THIS POINT, WE DECLARED AN EMER AND TURNED BACK TO STL, ALL THE WHILE USING ON AND OFF XFEEDING TO MAINTAIN BAL. AT ZUMAY, RWY 24, WE CLOSED THE XFEED WITH BALANCED FUEL AND LANDED 1500 LBS OUT OF BAL. NORMAL LNDG. MAINT FOUND THE WING FUEL PANEL DOOR OPEN AND THE DEFUELING VALVE OPEN. WE HAVE JUST SWITCHED PROCS. WE NO LONGER RECEIVE A SIGNED FUEL SLIP SHOWING PANEL SECURE. MAINT NO LONGER PERFORMS FINAL WALKAROUND AND THE NEWLY TRAINED GND CREWS GIVE US A VERBAL 'ALL SECURE BELOW.

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.