Narrative:

DC10-10 pushed power forward for takeoff. Approximately 30 KTS, so said we had a 'fuel filter pressure drop' light illuminated, we aborted the takeoff and exited the runway. Ran appropriate checklists, the light extinguished when the power was retarded to idle. Since it was dark, the so wasn't sure which light it was, but thought it was #2 or #3. We returned to the gate and wrote it up as such. Maintenance changed fuel filters in both engines. We departed ZZZ about 1 1/2 hours later. Normal takeoff, climb, cruise. About 2 hours into the flight, FL370, the #1 'fuel filter pressure drop' light illuminated. We did checklists and retarded the throttle to 80% N1 the light extinguished. We pushed the throttle back up and the light remained extinguished for about 45 mins. The light illuminated again and the throttle was returned below 80% for the remainder of the flight. The light remained extinguished. No problems during descent, approach and landing. Maintenance changed the #1 filter, no more problems followed. The problem is there is no differentiation between the 3 'filter pressure drop' lights. They are located next to each other on the so's panel and in a darkened cockpit on takeoff. It is difficult to tell which light illuminates, especially if it extinguishes when the power is retarded. It would be helpful to have some kind of test button (similar to egt's) to tell which light illuminated after the fact.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10-10 CREW ABORTED TKOF BECAUSE THE 'FUEL FILTER PRESSURE DROP' LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE SO PANEL.

Narrative: DC10-10 PUSHED PWR FORWARD FOR TKOF. APPROX 30 KTS, SO SAID WE HAD A 'FUEL FILTER PRESSURE DROP' LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WE ABORTED THE TKOF AND EXITED THE RWY. RAN APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS, THE LIGHT EXTINGUISHED WHEN THE PWR WAS RETARDED TO IDLE. SINCE IT WAS DARK, THE SO WASN'T SURE WHICH LIGHT IT WAS, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS #2 OR #3. WE RETURNED TO THE GATE AND WROTE IT UP AS SUCH. MAINT CHANGED FUEL FILTERS IN BOTH ENGS. WE DEPARTED ZZZ ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS LATER. NORMAL TKOF, CLB, CRUISE. ABOUT 2 HRS INTO THE FLT, FL370, THE #1 'FUEL FILTER PRESSURE DROP' LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WE DID CHKLISTS AND RETARDED THE THROTTLE TO 80% N1 THE LIGHT EXTINGUISHED. WE PUSHED THE THROTTLE BACK UP AND THE LIGHT REMAINED EXTINGUISHED FOR ABOUT 45 MINS. THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THE THROTTLE WAS RETURNED BELOW 80% FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. THE LIGHT REMAINED EXTINGUISHED. NO PROBS DURING DSCNT, APCH AND LNDG. MAINT CHANGED THE #1 FILTER, NO MORE PROBS FOLLOWED. THE PROB IS THERE IS NO DIFFERENTIATION BTWN THE 3 'FILTER PRESSURE DROP' LIGHTS. THEY ARE LOCATED NEXT TO EACH OTHER ON THE SO'S PANEL AND IN A DARKENED COCKPIT ON TKOF. IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL WHICH LIGHT ILLUMINATES, ESPECIALLY IF IT EXTINGUISHES WHEN THE PWR IS RETARDED. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME KIND OF TEST BUTTON (SIMILAR TO EGT'S) TO TELL WHICH LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FACT.

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.