Narrative:

After departing iad with a normal fuel load distribution and climbing through FL270, we received an automatic fuel xfer fault ECAM. Upon selecting the fuel page, we noticed the left tank at 10.5 gals and decreasing with fuel of approximately 9.5 gals in the center tank. We read the fuel leak checklist and asked the flight attendant to check for any leak from the l-hand wing or engine. Her response was negative. We then noticed the center tank fuel increasing while the left tank continued to decrease. I elected to return to iad and we contacted maintenance. Even after opening the xfeed valve and turning off the left tank boost pumps, the left tank continued to xfer fuel to the center tank at a faster rate than engine burn. At approximately 13.0 gals in the center tank, the right tank began to increase. I asked for emergency vehicles to meet us after landing. After consulting with maintenance, we elected to make an overweight and over fuel balance landing. We landed at approximately 151000 pounds and a fuel imbalance of over 8000 pounds (left 4100 pounds, center 13000 pounds, right 12800 pounds). I elected to use no thrust reversers due to unknown fuel situation and imbalance. At landing, rudder trim was 3.2 left. After an uneventful landing, emergency vehicles found no external leaks and we taxied in. Maintenance advised us they suspected a stuck open valve. According to the book, this is not supposed to happen.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNEXPLAINED AND UNCONTROLLABLE FUEL XFER INFLT ON AN AIRBUS A320 RESULTS IN AN OVERWT OUT OF FUEL BAL LNDG.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING IAD WITH A NORMAL FUEL LOAD DISTRIBUTION AND CLBING THROUGH FL270, WE RECEIVED AN AUTO FUEL XFER FAULT ECAM. UPON SELECTING THE FUEL PAGE, WE NOTICED THE L TANK AT 10.5 GALS AND DECREASING WITH FUEL OF APPROX 9.5 GALS IN THE CTR TANK. WE READ THE FUEL LEAK CHKLIST AND ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO CHK FOR ANY LEAK FROM THE L-HAND WING OR ENG. HER RESPONSE WAS NEGATIVE. WE THEN NOTICED THE CTR TANK FUEL INCREASING WHILE THE L TANK CONTINUED TO DECREASE. I ELECTED TO RETURN TO IAD AND WE CONTACTED MAINT. EVEN AFTER OPENING THE XFEED VALVE AND TURNING OFF THE L TANK BOOST PUMPS, THE L TANK CONTINUED TO XFER FUEL TO THE CTR TANK AT A FASTER RATE THAN ENG BURN. AT APPROX 13.0 GALS IN THE CTR TANK, THE R TANK BEGAN TO INCREASE. I ASKED FOR EMER VEHICLES TO MEET US AFTER LNDG. AFTER CONSULTING WITH MAINT, WE ELECTED TO MAKE AN OVERWT AND OVER FUEL BAL LNDG. WE LANDED AT APPROX 151000 LBS AND A FUEL IMBALANCE OF OVER 8000 LBS (L 4100 LBS, CTR 13000 LBS, R 12800 LBS). I ELECTED TO USE NO THRUST REVERSERS DUE TO UNKNOWN FUEL SIT AND IMBALANCE. AT LNDG, RUDDER TRIM WAS 3.2 L. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG, EMER VEHICLES FOUND NO EXTERNAL LEAKS AND WE TAXIED IN. MAINT ADVISED US THEY SUSPECTED A STUCK OPEN VALVE. ACCORDING TO THE BOOK, THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

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.