 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An MD80 crew reports being dispatched on a ferry flight with ballast fuel boarded. In-flight, crew inadvertently burned ballast fuel.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 573046 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200302 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise : level ground : preflight ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 573046 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 573045 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
This flight was a maintenance ferry from the hangar in ZZZ for a scheduled XA30 takeoff to ZZZ1. The aircraft had excess centerline fuel that exceeded the ballast fuel non usable requirements for the trip which caused a bit of confusion. We started the process for the ballast fuel requirements in the flight operations manual and I somehow got distraction and never finished placarding the centerline pumps. During departure, or shortly after leveloff, I noticed that we were using our ballast fuel in the burn. I immediately turned off the pumps and contacted dispatch and maintenance controller to ascertain the aircraft's situation. Dispatch got back and reissued a new load closeout to reflect the new center of gravity. There was no further action required of the crew. A normal landing and rollout completed the flight. Supplemental information from acn 573045: center tank ballast fuel in the amount of 4000 pounds was required for proper center of gravity. There was approximately 5500 pounds of fuel in the center wing at engine start, giving us 1500 pounds of center tank usage. During climb, the captain noticed we had burned through the 4000 pounds of ballast fuel, leaving us approximately 2000 pounds in the center tank. We quickly got a hold of dispatch who fired us off a new tps which indicated we were within center of gravity limits.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD80 CREW RPTS BEING DISPATCHED ON A FERRY FLT WITH BALLAST FUEL BOARDED. INFLT, CREW INADVERTENTLY BURNED BALLAST FUEL.
Narrative: THIS FLT WAS A MAINT FERRY FROM THE HANGAR IN ZZZ FOR A SCHEDULED XA30 TKOF TO ZZZ1. THE ACFT HAD EXCESS CTRLINE FUEL THAT EXCEEDED THE BALLAST FUEL NON USABLE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TRIP WHICH CAUSED A BIT OF CONFUSION. WE STARTED THE PROCESS FOR THE BALLAST FUEL REQUIREMENTS IN THE FLT OPS MANUAL AND I SOMEHOW GOT DISTR AND NEVER FINISHED PLACARDING THE CTRLINE PUMPS. DURING DEP, OR SHORTLY AFTER LEVELOFF, I NOTICED THAT WE WERE USING OUR BALLAST FUEL IN THE BURN. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE PUMPS AND CONTACTED DISPATCH AND MAINT CTLR TO ASCERTAIN THE ACFT'S SIT. DISPATCH GOT BACK AND REISSUED A NEW LOAD CLOSEOUT TO REFLECT THE NEW CTR OF GRAVITY. THERE WAS NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED OF THE CREW. A NORMAL LNDG AND ROLLOUT COMPLETED THE FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 573045: CTR TANK BALLAST FUEL IN THE AMOUNT OF 4000 LBS WAS REQUIRED FOR PROPER CTR OF GRAVITY. THERE WAS APPROX 5500 LBS OF FUEL IN THE CTR WING AT ENG START, GIVING US 1500 LBS OF CTR TANK USAGE. DURING CLB, THE CAPT NOTICED WE HAD BURNED THROUGH THE 4000 LBS OF BALLAST FUEL, LEAVING US APPROX 2000 LBS IN THE CTR TANK. WE QUICKLY GOT A HOLD OF DISPATCH WHO FIRED US OFF A NEW TPS WHICH INDICATED WE WERE WITHIN CTR OF GRAVITY LIMITS.
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.