B737 flight crew has fuel imbal problem, returns to departure airport, mia.

Attributes
ACN	553504
Time
Date	200207
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : vkz.vor
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 16000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	553504
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	553505
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After brake release, noticed right center fuel low pressure light illuminated. Checked MEL and it appeared we were ok to continue. Briefed first officer when en route to send message to dispatch to notify maintenance and if the left side light low pressure light illuminated only wing tank fuel would be usable and we would return to mia. When running abnormal checklist, I confused 'main tank' portion of the procedure with that of 'center tank' and didn't read any further thinking it didn't say 'wing tank(south)' and turned off the 'affected side' (right switch). On climb out at approximately 16000 ft, the 'fuel imbal' illuminated and I noticed the right wing tank fuel quantity decreasing rapidly. I immediately suspected a fuel leak which dictated the further course of events/actions. Emergency declared and returned to mia. Since I suspected a fuel leak I did not attempt to balance fuel thinking it might result in pumping needed fuel out of an open hole somewhere. Closer to mia we attempted to balance fuel to address heavy wing problems but only when landing was assured. I made logbook entries for right center boost pump, suspected fuel leak, overweight landing, and taxi with fuel imbal. At gate the right center fuel pump operated normally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC HAS FUEL IMBAL PROB, RETURNS TO DEP ARPT, MIA.

Narrative: AFTER BRAKE RELEASE, NOTICED R CTR FUEL LOW PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CHKED MEL AND IT APPEARED WE WERE OK TO CONTINUE. BRIEFED FO WHEN ENRTE TO SEND MESSAGE TO DISPATCH TO NOTIFY MAINT AND IF THE L SIDE LIGHT LOW PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ONLY WING TANK FUEL WOULD BE USABLE AND WE WOULD RETURN TO MIA. WHEN RUNNING ABNORMAL CHKLIST, I CONFUSED 'MAIN TANK' PORTION OF THE PROC WITH THAT OF 'CTR TANK' AND DIDN'T READ ANY FURTHER THINKING IT DIDN'T SAY 'WING TANK(S)' AND TURNED OFF THE 'AFFECTED SIDE' (R SWITCH). ON CLBOUT AT APPROX 16000 FT, THE 'FUEL IMBAL' ILLUMINATED AND I NOTICED THE R WING TANK FUEL QUANTITY DECREASING RAPIDLY. I IMMEDIATELY SUSPECTED A FUEL LEAK WHICH DICTATED THE FURTHER COURSE OF EVENTS/ACTIONS. EMER DECLARED AND RETURNED TO MIA. SINCE I SUSPECTED A FUEL LEAK I DID NOT ATTEMPT TO BAL FUEL THINKING IT MIGHT RESULT IN PUMPING NEEDED FUEL OUT OF AN OPEN HOLE SOMEWHERE. CLOSER TO MIA WE ATTEMPTED TO BAL FUEL TO ADDRESS HVY WING PROBS BUT ONLY WHEN LNDG WAS ASSURED. I MADE LOGBOOK ENTRIES FOR R CTR BOOST PUMP, SUSPECTED FUEL LEAK, OVERWT LNDG, AND TAXI WITH FUEL IMBAL. AT GATE THE R CTR FUEL PUMP OPERATED NORMALLY.

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.