Narrative:

Aircraft had an MEL 28-24-01(2). No pwred xflow. Flight from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2, we received 'fuel imbal' in climb. We followed the QRH. The imbal went away in level flight. It returned again in climb. QRH completed and message temporarily went away. Sideslip maneuvers were done. The fuel would flow into low tank then go out. QRH followed. Sideslips were completed and then the aircraft leveled for at least 30 seconds for fuel readings. Continued sideslips (all with gravity xflow on). Leveled with gravity xflow off, tried with it on too, brought back on low side. Imbal remained. No engine or fuel flow problems indicated. We discussed and decided to not shut engine down. During this time, discussed with maintenance and told them our decision. They gave some ideas, discussed with dispatch. Continued to try to balance, imbal remained. After discussion, we diverted to ZZZ3. Passenger were notified as well as the flight attendant several times. We landed uneventfully. Maintenance in ZZZ said they discovered the autoflow inhibit fuel switch on. No message noted on the ground in ZZZ1, in-flight, or during taxi in ZZZ. QRH provided no timeline guidance for fuel imbal nor how much slipping action to use. This factor (the time it would take to balance fuel) contributed to the decision to divert, leading us to believe the aircraft was not balancing the fuel. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this crew was unable to balance the fuel in the wings and tried the QRH procedure for sideslipping. The handbook gives no time line on the sideslip procedure of sideslip procedure as to how long to hold the procedure. Maintenance found the autoflow inhibit switch in the 'on' position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 WITH PWRED XFLOW DEFERRED INOP. DIVERTED ACCOUNT UNABLE TO BAL THE WING TANKS USING GRAVITY FUEL XFLOW BTWN THE MAIN TANKS.

Narrative: ACFT HAD AN MEL 28-24-01(2). NO PWRED XFLOW. FLT FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2, WE RECEIVED 'FUEL IMBAL' IN CLB. WE FOLLOWED THE QRH. THE IMBAL WENT AWAY IN LEVEL FLT. IT RETURNED AGAIN IN CLB. QRH COMPLETED AND MESSAGE TEMPORARILY WENT AWAY. SIDESLIP MANEUVERS WERE DONE. THE FUEL WOULD FLOW INTO LOW TANK THEN GO OUT. QRH FOLLOWED. SIDESLIPS WERE COMPLETED AND THEN THE ACFT LEVELED FOR AT LEAST 30 SECONDS FOR FUEL READINGS. CONTINUED SIDESLIPS (ALL WITH GRAVITY XFLOW ON). LEVELED WITH GRAVITY XFLOW OFF, TRIED WITH IT ON TOO, BROUGHT BACK ON LOW SIDE. IMBAL REMAINED. NO ENG OR FUEL FLOW PROBS INDICATED. WE DISCUSSED AND DECIDED TO NOT SHUT ENG DOWN. DURING THIS TIME, DISCUSSED WITH MAINT AND TOLD THEM OUR DECISION. THEY GAVE SOME IDEAS, DISCUSSED WITH DISPATCH. CONTINUED TO TRY TO BAL, IMBAL REMAINED. AFTER DISCUSSION, WE DIVERTED TO ZZZ3. PAX WERE NOTIFIED AS WELL AS THE FLT ATTENDANT SEVERAL TIMES. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. MAINT IN ZZZ SAID THEY DISCOVERED THE AUTOFLOW INHIBIT FUEL SWITCH ON. NO MESSAGE NOTED ON THE GND IN ZZZ1, INFLT, OR DURING TAXI IN ZZZ. QRH PROVIDED NO TIMELINE GUIDANCE FOR FUEL IMBAL NOR HOW MUCH SLIPPING ACTION TO USE. THIS FACTOR (THE TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO BAL FUEL) CONTRIBUTED TO THE DECISION TO DIVERT, LEADING US TO BELIEVE THE ACFT WAS NOT BALANCING THE FUEL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS CREW WAS UNABLE TO BAL THE FUEL IN THE WINGS AND TRIED THE QRH PROC FOR SIDESLIPPING. THE HANDBOOK GIVES NO TIME LINE ON THE SIDESLIP PROC OF SIDESLIP PROC AS TO HOW LONG TO HOLD THE PROC. MAINT FOUND THE AUTOFLOW INHIBIT SWITCH IN THE 'ON' POS.

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.