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A CL65 with left wing tank high level sensor inoperative per MEL must be fueled overwing. Ground crew refused to fuel overwing. Disregarded MEL special procedures. Reluctantly fueled overwing and pressure fueled tank.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 623524 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200407 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| 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 |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 623524 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 623813 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel qty indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Company Chart Or Publication Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Company |
| Situations | |
| Publication | MEL |
Narrative:
Pressure fueling system was deferred on left wing tank due to inoperative high level sensor. Ground crew was instructed to use overwing fueling on the left wing. Ground crew argued saying that they would use the pressure fueling system. A ramp supervisor was called and told by crew that the pressure fueling system was deferred and that overwing fueling would be required on the left wing. He also argued that his crew would use the pressure system to fuel the aircraft while monitoring the fuel quantity from the cockpit. This procedure violates the conditions set forth in the MEL and flight standards manual. The supervisor finally agreed to use the overwing fueling equipment on the left wing. However, the fueler had to stop before putting in half of the fuel ordered on the overwing side because it was full. The other ramp agent was using the pressure fueling system to fill both wings while the overwing operation was going on. These agents were not properly acquainted with FAA approved procedures and did not comply with the flight crew's guidance even after being briefed repeatedly.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A CL65 WITH L WING TANK HIGH LEVEL SENSOR INOP PER MEL MUST BE FUELED OVERWING. GND CREW REFUSED TO FUEL OVERWING. DISREGARDED MEL SPECIAL PROCS. RELUCTANTLY FUELED OVERWING AND PRESSURE FUELED TANK.
Narrative: PRESSURE FUELING SYS WAS DEFERRED ON L WING TANK DUE TO INOP HIGH LEVEL SENSOR. GND CREW WAS INSTRUCTED TO USE OVERWING FUELING ON THE L WING. GND CREW ARGUED SAYING THAT THEY WOULD USE THE PRESSURE FUELING SYS. A RAMP SUPVR WAS CALLED AND TOLD BY CREW THAT THE PRESSURE FUELING SYS WAS DEFERRED AND THAT OVERWING FUELING WOULD BE REQUIRED ON THE L WING. HE ALSO ARGUED THAT HIS CREW WOULD USE THE PRESSURE SYS TO FUEL THE ACFT WHILE MONITORING THE FUEL QUANTITY FROM THE COCKPIT. THIS PROC VIOLATES THE CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE MEL AND FLT STANDARDS MANUAL. THE SUPVR FINALLY AGREED TO USE THE OVERWING FUELING EQUIP ON THE L WING. HOWEVER, THE FUELER HAD TO STOP BEFORE PUTTING IN HALF OF THE FUEL ORDERED ON THE OVERWING SIDE BECAUSE IT WAS FULL. THE OTHER RAMP AGENT WAS USING THE PRESSURE FUELING SYS TO FILL BOTH WINGS WHILE THE OVERWING OP WAS GOING ON. THESE AGENTS WERE NOT PROPERLY ACQUAINTED WITH FAA APPROVED PROCS AND DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE FLT CREW'S GUIDANCE EVEN AFTER BEING BRIEFED REPEATEDLY.
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.