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Flight crew of B757-200 fail to correct open fuel xfeed valve during preflight and before start checklist. EICAS fuel imbal alert after takeoff advises them to correct the problem.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 633850 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200410 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sju.airport |
| State Reference | PR |
| Altitude | msl single value : 18000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zsu.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 633850 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 633848 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Unwanted fuel xfer. During first fuel check after takeoff, noted main fuel tank imbal of approximately 2200 pounds. Apparently the fuel xfeed valve had been opened by ground personnel during fueling operations and was not closed. During the before-starting-engines checklist completion, the fuel panel/quantity/distribution was checked, however, the open xfeed valve switch position was not recognized, perhaps because the lines on the overhead panel tend to 'blend' together. Center tank fuel was approximately 1500 pounds therefore fuel confign light was on because center tank pumps were 'off' in accordance with center tank fuel pump airworthiness directive procedures. This is significant because the EICAS fuel confign 'fuel imbal,' alert function was 'masked' by the already illuminated fuel confign message. Initially suspecting a fuel leak, QRH procedures were initiated which revealed the open xfeed valve. Maximum imbal reached approximately 2800 pounds. Fuel balance was restored using standard xfeed procedures.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF B757-200 FAIL TO CORRECT OPEN FUEL XFEED VALVE DURING PREFLT AND BEFORE START CHKLIST. EICAS FUEL IMBAL ALERT AFTER TKOF ADVISES THEM TO CORRECT THE PROB.
Narrative: UNWANTED FUEL XFER. DURING FIRST FUEL CHK AFTER TKOF, NOTED MAIN FUEL TANK IMBAL OF APPROX 2200 LBS. APPARENTLY THE FUEL XFEED VALVE HAD BEEN OPENED BY GND PERSONNEL DURING FUELING OPS AND WAS NOT CLOSED. DURING THE BEFORE-STARTING-ENGS CHKLIST COMPLETION, THE FUEL PANEL/QUANTITY/DISTRIBUTION WAS CHKED, HOWEVER, THE OPEN XFEED VALVE SWITCH POS WAS NOT RECOGNIZED, PERHAPS BECAUSE THE LINES ON THE OVERHEAD PANEL TEND TO 'BLEND' TOGETHER. CTR TANK FUEL WAS APPROX 1500 LBS THEREFORE FUEL CONFIGN LIGHT WAS ON BECAUSE CTR TANK PUMPS WERE 'OFF' IN ACCORDANCE WITH CTR TANK FUEL PUMP AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE PROCS. THIS IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE EICAS FUEL CONFIGN 'FUEL IMBAL,' ALERT FUNCTION WAS 'MASKED' BY THE ALREADY ILLUMINATED FUEL CONFIGN MESSAGE. INITIALLY SUSPECTING A FUEL LEAK, QRH PROCS WERE INITIATED WHICH REVEALED THE OPEN XFEED VALVE. MAX IMBAL REACHED APPROX 2800 LBS. FUEL BAL WAS RESTORED USING STANDARD XFEED PROCS.
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.