Narrative:

I was the first officer on flight from sea. We had pushed and taxied without incident and we were cleared position and hold runway 16L. Taxiing onto the runway, we were cleared for takeoff. While we were taxiing into position, the captain called for 'below the line.' when we reached the 'master caution' part of the checklist, the fuel light remained illuminated. I looked at the fuel panel and 1 center tank fuel pump light was illuminated. The captain said something I did not hear and he advanced the power levers. I said 'we need to shut the pumps off' and he replied 'we have 1000 pounds' (in the center tank). In fact, we had over 1200 pounds in the center tank. Power was up and I decided this was not the time for discussion, since it was not an immediate safety issue. Upon reaching the hotel, I reviewed the manual and it states, 'center tank fuel pumps must not be positioned 'on' unless the center tank fuel quantity exceeds 1000 pounds.' the manual then states 'center tank fuel pump switches must be positioned off when both center tank fuel pump pressure lights illuminate.' there is a note that states, 'the limitation does not change the existing normal procedure to turn the center tank pump switches to 'off' at the first indication of low pressure in either pump.' we had met 2 out of 3 conditions and the third seems to contradict the second. Did I mention we had an FAA safety inspector in the jumpseat?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 FO RPTED THAT THERE ARE CONFLICTING STATEMENTS IN THE OPS MANUAL REGARDING THE OP OF THE CTR TANK FUEL PUMP.

Narrative: I WAS THE FO ON FLT FROM SEA. WE HAD PUSHED AND TAXIED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND WE WERE CLRED POS AND HOLD RWY 16L. TAXIING ONTO THE RWY, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. WHILE WE WERE TAXIING INTO POS, THE CAPT CALLED FOR 'BELOW THE LINE.' WHEN WE REACHED THE 'MASTER CAUTION' PART OF THE CHKLIST, THE FUEL LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. I LOOKED AT THE FUEL PANEL AND 1 CTR TANK FUEL PUMP LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CAPT SAID SOMETHING I DID NOT HEAR AND HE ADVANCED THE PWR LEVERS. I SAID 'WE NEED TO SHUT THE PUMPS OFF' AND HE REPLIED 'WE HAVE 1000 LBS' (IN THE CTR TANK). IN FACT, WE HAD OVER 1200 LBS IN THE CTR TANK. PWR WAS UP AND I DECIDED THIS WAS NOT THE TIME FOR DISCUSSION, SINCE IT WAS NOT AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY ISSUE. UPON REACHING THE HOTEL, I REVIEWED THE MANUAL AND IT STATES, 'CTR TANK FUEL PUMPS MUST NOT BE POSITIONED 'ON' UNLESS THE CTR TANK FUEL QUANTITY EXCEEDS 1000 LBS.' THE MANUAL THEN STATES 'CTR TANK FUEL PUMP SWITCHES MUST BE POSITIONED OFF WHEN BOTH CTR TANK FUEL PUMP PRESSURE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE.' THERE IS A NOTE THAT STATES, 'THE LIMITATION DOES NOT CHANGE THE EXISTING NORMAL PROC TO TURN THE CTR TANK PUMP SWITCHES TO 'OFF' AT THE FIRST INDICATION OF LOW PRESSURE IN EITHER PUMP.' WE HAD MET 2 OUT OF 3 CONDITIONS AND THE THIRD SEEMS TO CONTRADICT THE SECOND. DID I MENTION WE HAD AN FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR IN THE JUMPSEAT?

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.