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B757 flight crew mismanage their fuel system, landing with most of their unused fuel in the center tank at ZZZ, us.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 622227 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200304 |
| Day | Tue |
| 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 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 206 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2800 |
| ASRS Report | 622227 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fmc low fuel alert other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
The center tank fuel quantity indicator displayed an LCD aberration (hot spot) with respect to the farthest left digit which made it possible to misread the center tank quantity by 10000 pounds (ie, 11.0 could be interpreted as 1.0). During climb, the monitoring pilot selected center pumps on to burn the center tank fuel level to 1.0 as per the current 'fuel usage restrs a.D.' at approximately top of climb, the monitoring pilot stated 'center pumps off.' as the PF, I observed what appeared to me to be 1.0 on the center tank gauge. The flight proceeded normally until approximately top of descent when FMC annunciated 'low fuel.' I immediately selected center pumps on and verified that the total quantity was approximately 16.4. Closer examination revealed that the amount in the center tank was in fact 11.0. The flight proceeded normally and landed without further abnormality. Fuel was monitored until parking with levels of approximately 2.5 left main, 2.9 right main and 8.3 center.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B757 FLT CREW MISMANAGE THEIR FUEL SYS, LNDG WITH MOST OF THEIR UNUSED FUEL IN THE CTR TANK AT ZZZ, US.
Narrative: THE CTR TANK FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR DISPLAYED AN LCD ABERRATION (HOT SPOT) WITH RESPECT TO THE FARTHEST L DIGIT WHICH MADE IT POSSIBLE TO MISREAD THE CTR TANK QUANTITY BY 10000 LBS (IE, 11.0 COULD BE INTERPED AS 1.0). DURING CLB, THE MONITORING PLT SELECTED CTR PUMPS ON TO BURN THE CTR TANK FUEL LEVEL TO 1.0 AS PER THE CURRENT 'FUEL USAGE RESTRS A.D.' AT APPROX TOP OF CLB, THE MONITORING PLT STATED 'CTR PUMPS OFF.' AS THE PF, I OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO ME TO BE 1.0 ON THE CTR TANK GAUGE. THE FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY UNTIL APPROX TOP OF DSCNT WHEN FMC ANNUNCIATED 'LOW FUEL.' I IMMEDIATELY SELECTED CTR PUMPS ON AND VERIFIED THAT THE TOTAL QUANTITY WAS APPROX 16.4. CLOSER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE AMOUNT IN THE CTR TANK WAS IN FACT 11.0. THE FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER ABNORMALITY. FUEL WAS MONITORED UNTIL PARKING WITH LEVELS OF APPROX 2.5 L MAIN, 2.9 R MAIN AND 8.3 CTR.
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.