A B737-300 was dispatched in non compliance with a fuel imbal requiring out of limits aileron trim. ...

Attributes
ACN	567431
Time
Date	200211
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	567431
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : #2 feul qty indicator inop other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft was written up as having an inoperative #2 fuel gauge, so we followed the inoperative fuel gauge inoperative fueling procedure. We noticed that the inbound crew had entered an on-block fuel amount of 10700 pounds. This conflicted with the 'stick' value of the fuel, which translated to a total of 8200 pounds, a 2500 pound discrepancy. Although APU was running, the flight was a 'through' and aircraft had not been sitting very long. I noticed that the 3 fuelers were having a discussion around the truck regarding the fueling, so I was particularly careful in reviewing the paperwork and asked many questions about it. The post fueling stick value was 16.7 inches, which translated to 5600 pounds in the #2 tank with 5600 pounds indicated on the fueling gauge for the #1 tank. 444 gallons were added to bring the total fuel to 11200 pounds (clear + taxi). First officer and I were satisfied. On takeoff, aircraft required a large amount of right aileron and trimmed up with a few units of left trim on the indicator. Landing required some left aileron as well. I had the same airplane for the flight the next morning back to ZZZ1. In checking the paperwork, I found that there was a 2000+ pound discrepancy between the wing tanks. Talked to maintenance and they recommended that the fuel be metered from the right main to the left main.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A FUEL IMBAL REQUIRING OUT OF LIMITS AILERON TRIM. SPECIAL FUELING PROCS WITH INOP FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR WERE NOT FOLLOWED PER THE MEL.

Narrative: ACFT WAS WRITTEN UP AS HAVING AN INOP #2 FUEL GAUGE, SO WE FOLLOWED THE INOP FUEL GAUGE INOP FUELING PROC. WE NOTICED THAT THE INBOUND CREW HAD ENTERED AN ON-BLOCK FUEL AMOUNT OF 10700 LBS. THIS CONFLICTED WITH THE 'STICK' VALUE OF THE FUEL, WHICH TRANSLATED TO A TOTAL OF 8200 LBS, A 2500 LB DISCREPANCY. ALTHOUGH APU WAS RUNNING, THE FLT WAS A 'THROUGH' AND ACFT HAD NOT BEEN SITTING VERY LONG. I NOTICED THAT THE 3 FUELERS WERE HAVING A DISCUSSION AROUND THE TRUCK REGARDING THE FUELING, SO I WAS PARTICULARLY CAREFUL IN REVIEWING THE PAPERWORK AND ASKED MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. THE POST FUELING STICK VALUE WAS 16.7 INCHES, WHICH TRANSLATED TO 5600 LBS IN THE #2 TANK WITH 5600 LBS INDICATED ON THE FUELING GAUGE FOR THE #1 TANK. 444 GALLONS WERE ADDED TO BRING THE TOTAL FUEL TO 11200 LBS (CLR + TAXI). FO AND I WERE SATISFIED. ON TKOF, ACFT REQUIRED A LARGE AMOUNT OF R AILERON AND TRIMMED UP WITH A FEW UNITS OF L TRIM ON THE INDICATOR. LNDG REQUIRED SOME L AILERON AS WELL. I HAD THE SAME AIRPLANE FOR THE FLT THE NEXT MORNING BACK TO ZZZ1. IN CHKING THE PAPERWORK, I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A 2000+ LB DISCREPANCY BTWN THE WING TANKS. TALKED TO MAINT AND THEY RECOMMENDED THAT THE FUEL BE METERED FROM THE R MAIN TO THE L MAIN.

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.

A B737-300 was dispatched in non compliance with a fuel imbal requiring out of limits aileron trim. Special fueling procedures with inoperative fuel quantity indicator were not followed per the MEL.