Md-80 crew inadvertently exceeded the fuel balance limitations while attempting to balance fuel.

Attributes
ACN	563976
Time
Date	200210
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	563976
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : wake turbulence non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauges other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Exceeded aircraft fuel imbalance limitations. Description: at 5000 ft we experienced a wake turbulence encounter, which prompted the captain (who was acting as the PF) to disconnect the autoplt. Following recovery, the captain brought to my attention that we had a fuel imbalance due to an over corrective xfeed procedure. I had been previously unaware of the xfeed condition, and did not catch the fuel imbalance as it developed in the descent. Post flight discussion revealed that the captain had selected xfeed while I was 'out of the loop' talking to operations just prior to descent. The xfeed procedure was terminated and we discussed our options. The decision to continue was made and approach and landing was normal with the exception of additional aileron trim used to neutralize flight controls. A maintenance log entry was made noting the exceedance of fuel imbalance limitations. 1) CRM! I should have gotten 'back in the loop' with the captain prior to initiation of the descent checklist and known about the xfeed. 2) monitor the airplane 'inside' when acting as the PNF even below 10000 ft where much of our attention is focused outside. 3) some type of memory aid for the fuel xfeed procedure could be standardized. (Flight director switch both on 1, or a card similar to the 'logbook removed,' which is conspicuously placed during fuel xfeeding.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD-80 CREW INADVERTENTLY EXCEEDED THE FUEL BAL LIMITATIONS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BAL FUEL.

Narrative: EXCEEDED ACFT FUEL IMBALANCE LIMITATIONS. DESCRIPTION: AT 5000 FT WE EXPERIENCED A WAKE TURB ENCOUNTER, WHICH PROMPTED THE CAPT (WHO WAS ACTING AS THE PF) TO DISCONNECT THE AUTOPLT. FOLLOWING RECOVERY, THE CAPT BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT WE HAD A FUEL IMBALANCE DUE TO AN OVER CORRECTIVE XFEED PROC. I HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY UNAWARE OF THE XFEED CONDITION, AND DID NOT CATCH THE FUEL IMBALANCE AS IT DEVELOPED IN THE DSCNT. POST FLT DISCUSSION REVEALED THAT THE CAPT HAD SELECTED XFEED WHILE I WAS 'OUT OF THE LOOP' TALKING TO OPS JUST PRIOR TO DSCNT. THE XFEED PROC WAS TERMINATED AND WE DISCUSSED OUR OPTIONS. THE DECISION TO CONTINUE WAS MADE AND APCH AND LNDG WAS NORMAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ADDITIONAL AILERON TRIM USED TO NEUTRALIZE FLT CTLS. A MAINT LOG ENTRY WAS MADE NOTING THE EXCEEDANCE OF FUEL IMBALANCE LIMITATIONS. 1) CRM! I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN 'BACK IN THE LOOP' WITH THE CAPT PRIOR TO INITIATION OF THE DSCNT CHKLIST AND KNOWN ABOUT THE XFEED. 2) MONITOR THE AIRPLANE 'INSIDE' WHEN ACTING AS THE PNF EVEN BELOW 10000 FT WHERE MUCH OF OUR ATTN IS FOCUSED OUTSIDE. 3) SOME TYPE OF MEMORY AID FOR THE FUEL XFEED PROC COULD BE STANDARDIZED. (FLT DIRECTOR SWITCH BOTH ON 1, OR A CARD SIMILAR TO THE 'LOGBOOK REMOVED,' WHICH IS CONSPICUOUSLY PLACED DURING FUEL XFEEDING.

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.