F100 crew inadvertently used center tank ballast fuel.

Attributes
ACN	564554
Time
Date	200210
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zob.artcc
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 24000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc tracon : d21.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	564554
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	564555
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : center fuel quantity indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Ballast fuel burned inadvertently. We flew flight from dtw to dfw as a ferry flight. When we arrived at dtw, operations had already pulled the flight plan and paperwork for us. Our primary concern after speaking with local maintenance was the vibration of #1 engine. A dtw mechanic described it as substantial during an engine run the previous evening. During climb out above 10000 ft, both the first officer and I went to the aft cabin area to listen and feel for any unusual vibration. During this time we were distraction and inadvertently burned the ballast fuel in the center tank. In the future, I will pay closer attention to the issue of ballast fuel -- especially during off schedule operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: F100 CREW INADVERTENTLY USED CTR TANK BALLAST FUEL.

Narrative: BALLAST FUEL BURNED INADVERTENTLY. WE FLEW FLT FROM DTW TO DFW AS A FERRY FLT. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT DTW, OPS HAD ALREADY PULLED THE FLT PLAN AND PAPERWORK FOR US. OUR PRIMARY CONCERN AFTER SPEAKING WITH LCL MAINT WAS THE VIBRATION OF #1 ENG. A DTW MECH DESCRIBED IT AS SUBSTANTIAL DURING AN ENG RUN THE PREVIOUS EVENING. DURING CLBOUT ABOVE 10000 FT, BOTH THE FO AND I WENT TO THE AFT CABIN AREA TO LISTEN AND FEEL FOR ANY UNUSUAL VIBRATION. DURING THIS TIME WE WERE DISTR AND INADVERTENTLY BURNED THE BALLAST FUEL IN THE CTR TANK. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL PAY CLOSER ATTN TO THE ISSUE OF BALLAST FUEL -- ESPECIALLY DURING OFF SCHEDULE OPS.

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.