An MD80, upon arrival to gate, was fueled before the exit door was opened.

Attributes
ACN	577213
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
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	577213
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

The fueler had already started pumping fuel before any door had been opened or jetbridge mated to aircraft. There was no agent and I directed first officer to contact ramp control to call for an agent. Doors were already disarmed in preparation for main cabin door to be opened. I noted fuel quantity increasing and called flight attendants to rearm doors. After about 5 mins, an agent arrived to mate jetbridge and open door. This is an FAA violation for fueler to not affirm that it is safe to pump. The aircraft was an overnight equipment check and we were early on arrival. This raises concern as to what the hurry was to violate the safety of all on board by starting the fueling prior to main or any cabin door being opened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80, UPON ARR TO GATE, WAS FUELED BEFORE THE EXIT DOOR WAS OPENED.

Narrative: THE FUELER HAD ALREADY STARTED PUMPING FUEL BEFORE ANY DOOR HAD BEEN OPENED OR JETBRIDGE MATED TO ACFT. THERE WAS NO AGENT AND I DIRECTED FO TO CONTACT RAMP CTL TO CALL FOR AN AGENT. DOORS WERE ALREADY DISARMED IN PREPARATION FOR MAIN CABIN DOOR TO BE OPENED. I NOTED FUEL QUANTITY INCREASING AND CALLED FLT ATTENDANTS TO REARM DOORS. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINS, AN AGENT ARRIVED TO MATE JETBRIDGE AND OPEN DOOR. THIS IS AN FAA VIOLATION FOR FUELER TO NOT AFFIRM THAT IT IS SAFE TO PUMP. THE ACFT WAS AN OVERNIGHT EQUIP CHK AND WE WERE EARLY ON ARR. THIS RAISES CONCERN AS TO WHAT THE HURRY WAS TO VIOLATE THE SAFETY OF ALL ON BOARD BY STARTING THE FUELING PRIOR TO MAIN OR ANY CABIN DOOR BEING OPENED.

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.