An airbus 319 reported outer wing fuel imbal of 300 pounds. Corrected imbal using MEL procedure.

Attributes
ACN	616888
Time
Date	200405
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	616888
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : left outer wing qty indicator
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On climb out from ZZZ at XA50, the flight crew discovered the left outer fuel cell holding at 200 pounds, with inner tanks full, center about 8000 pounds (feeding in automatic), right outer cell at 1600 pounds (full). No temperature indicated on left outer, and xfer valves indicating closed. Discussed situation with first officer while observing fuel use out of tanks. Confirmed left outer cell remaining at 200 pounds with left inner increasing back to full. Verified imbal limitations in fcom volume 3 of 1100 pounds (outer). Thus, outer tanks out of limits by 300 pounds. (Imbal of 1600-200 = 1400 pounds, 1400 - 1100 = 300 pounds). Verified system operation in fcom volume 1. Contacted dispatch and maintenance control. Discussed situation. All involved agreed that no safety issue was posed by exercise of captain's emergency authority/authorized in performing procedure in MEL 28-12-01-C1-aa. Captain elected to delay procedure until near suitable field ZZZ1 for contingency. The procedure in the MEL was performed with both pilots concurring. All 4 xfer valve circuit breakers were pulled to open valves, and reset to lock them open. The fuel was restored within limits, and to a balanced condition, using manual procedures. Dispatch and maintenance control were advised of successful completion of the procedure. Appropriate logbook entries were made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 319 RPTED OUTER WING FUEL IMBAL OF 300 LBS. CORRECTED IMBAL USING MEL PROC.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM ZZZ AT XA50, THE FLT CREW DISCOVERED THE L OUTER FUEL CELL HOLDING AT 200 LBS, WITH INNER TANKS FULL, CTR ABOUT 8000 LBS (FEEDING IN AUTO), R OUTER CELL AT 1600 LBS (FULL). NO TEMP INDICATED ON L OUTER, AND XFER VALVES INDICATING CLOSED. DISCUSSED SIT WITH FO WHILE OBSERVING FUEL USE OUT OF TANKS. CONFIRMED L OUTER CELL REMAINING AT 200 LBS WITH L INNER INCREASING BACK TO FULL. VERIFIED IMBAL LIMITATIONS IN FCOM VOLUME 3 OF 1100 LBS (OUTER). THUS, OUTER TANKS OUT OF LIMITS BY 300 LBS. (IMBAL OF 1600-200 = 1400 LBS, 1400 - 1100 = 300 LBS). VERIFIED SYS OP IN FCOM VOLUME 1. CONTACTED DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL. DISCUSSED SIT. ALL INVOLVED AGREED THAT NO SAFETY ISSUE WAS POSED BY EXERCISE OF CAPT'S EMER AUTH IN PERFORMING PROC IN MEL 28-12-01-C1-AA. CAPT ELECTED TO DELAY PROC UNTIL NEAR SUITABLE FIELD ZZZ1 FOR CONTINGENCY. THE PROC IN THE MEL WAS PERFORMED WITH BOTH PLTS CONCURRING. ALL 4 XFER VALVE CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE PULLED TO OPEN VALVES, AND RESET TO LOCK THEM OPEN. THE FUEL WAS RESTORED WITHIN LIMITS, AND TO A BALANCED CONDITION, USING MANUAL PROCS. DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL WERE ADVISED OF SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE PROC. APPROPRIATE LOGBOOK ENTRIES WERE MADE.

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.