Narrative:

Departed iad for sfo with left center fuel boost pump inoperative and deferred. Center fuel tank quantity was 1200 pounds. Fueler unable to xfer fuel from center tank to main tanks. Center tank fuel was considered structural. En route, center tank would not empty per the flight manual via automatic scavenging to main tanks when main tanks become 1/2 full. Used right center tank pump to empty center tank to 1000 pounds. Turned off right center pump at 1000 pounds and observed center tank quantity increase to 1900 pounds. Sent maintenance an alert via ACARS and mrm with detailed description. Upon arrival sfo, was met by maintenance team. The lead mechanic questioned how I managed the fuel en route. I explained what procedures I used and he lectured me that I had not complied with the MEL placard procedure on the mrd when I did not take off with the xfeed open. I tried to explain to him that to operate the right center pump for takeoff our flight manual required a minimum center tank quantity of 5000 pounds, and that the placard procedure only required the xfeed be opened for takeoff if I was going to use the center tank pump. I feel strongly I operated flight in full compliance with the placard procedure on the mrd and the restrs in the flight manual. The lead mechanic seemed to be gunning for me and I'm not sure why.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CREW WAS NOT ABLE TO SCAVENGE CTR TANK FUEL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLT MANUAL AND THE MEL PROC.

Narrative: DEPARTED IAD FOR SFO WITH L CTR FUEL BOOST PUMP INOP AND DEFERRED. CTR FUEL TANK QUANTITY WAS 1200 LBS. FUELER UNABLE TO XFER FUEL FROM CTR TANK TO MAIN TANKS. CTR TANK FUEL WAS CONSIDERED STRUCTURAL. ENRTE, CTR TANK WOULD NOT EMPTY PER THE FLT MANUAL VIA AUTOMATIC SCAVENGING TO MAIN TANKS WHEN MAIN TANKS BECOME 1/2 FULL. USED R CTR TANK PUMP TO EMPTY CTR TANK TO 1000 LBS. TURNED OFF R CTR PUMP AT 1000 LBS AND OBSERVED CTR TANK QUANTITY INCREASE TO 1900 LBS. SENT MAINT AN ALERT VIA ACARS AND MRM WITH DETAILED DESCRIPTION. UPON ARR SFO, WAS MET BY MAINT TEAM. THE LEAD MECH QUESTIONED HOW I MANAGED THE FUEL ENRTE. I EXPLAINED WHAT PROCS I USED AND HE LECTURED ME THAT I HAD NOT COMPLIED WITH THE MEL PLACARD PROC ON THE MRD WHEN I DID NOT TAKE OFF WITH THE XFEED OPEN. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT TO OPERATE THE R CTR PUMP FOR TKOF OUR FLT MANUAL REQUIRED A MINIMUM CTR TANK QUANTITY OF 5000 LBS, AND THAT THE PLACARD PROC ONLY REQUIRED THE XFEED BE OPENED FOR TKOF IF I WAS GOING TO USE THE CTR TANK PUMP. I FEEL STRONGLY I OPERATED FLT IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE PLACARD PROC ON THE MRD AND THE RESTRS IN THE FLT MANUAL. THE LEAD MECH SEEMED TO BE GUNNING FOR ME AND I'M NOT SURE WHY.

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.