Narrative:

Approximately 5 mins after takeoff; received (level 2) lateral fuel imbal alert. Complied with QRH and we noticed yellow/amber numbers in tank #3 fuel quantity. Lateral fuel imbal alert extinguished. Around top of climb; we received (level 2) fuel quantity fault. We complied with the QRH and notified operations and maintenance via phone patch. We then proceeded to ZZZ. Just past ZZZ1 we received a tip tank low alert; and a tip tank trapped alert. This was followed by a (level 2) tank #3 quantity low alert. We elected to divert to ZZZ1 and turned on all xfeed valves according to the QRH. At around 11000 ft MSL we think the fuel system may have given us some good information and we received another lateral fuel imbal alert with 18000 pounds in tank #1 and 8000 pounds of fuel in tank #3. Manually balanced the tanks before landing; although we were unable to confirm because of suspect fuel readings in the tanks. Landing was uneventful at ZZZ1 and turned off just short of end of runway. Approximately 30 mins after block-in; tires #2 and #5 fuse plugs melted and required tire and brake change. #2 tire had recent maintenance history. I believe that the left wing was heavier than the right wing because of how I had to land the airplane; and this may have contributed to the hot brakes. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated initially maintenance believed the fuel system controller had failed; but after running the test on the maintenance computer; 41 outstanding faults were displayed. These were most likely faults that continued to add up from several other faults. The next day reporter took the airplane and the automatic-fueling system was inoperative and the fuel system was operated in manual and worked satisfactory. The tires and brakes were the reason the airplane was OTS overnight as brakes had to be sent into the diversion station.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11 IN CRUISE AT FL320 DIVERTED DUE TO NUMEROUS FUEL XFER AND FUEL QUANTITY WARNINGS AND PRIOR TO LNDG DISCOVERED FUEL IMBAL WITH L WING HVY.

Narrative: APPROX 5 MINS AFTER TKOF; RECEIVED (LEVEL 2) LATERAL FUEL IMBAL ALERT. COMPLIED WITH QRH AND WE NOTICED YELLOW/AMBER NUMBERS IN TANK #3 FUEL QUANTITY. LATERAL FUEL IMBAL ALERT EXTINGUISHED. AROUND TOP OF CLB; WE RECEIVED (LEVEL 2) FUEL QUANTITY FAULT. WE COMPLIED WITH THE QRH AND NOTIFIED OPS AND MAINT VIA PHONE PATCH. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO ZZZ. JUST PAST ZZZ1 WE RECEIVED A TIP TANK LOW ALERT; AND A TIP TANK TRAPPED ALERT. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A (LEVEL 2) TANK #3 QUANTITY LOW ALERT. WE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO ZZZ1 AND TURNED ON ALL XFEED VALVES ACCORDING TO THE QRH. AT AROUND 11000 FT MSL WE THINK THE FUEL SYS MAY HAVE GIVEN US SOME GOOD INFO AND WE RECEIVED ANOTHER LATERAL FUEL IMBAL ALERT WITH 18000 LBS IN TANK #1 AND 8000 LBS OF FUEL IN TANK #3. MANUALLY BALANCED THE TANKS BEFORE LNDG; ALTHOUGH WE WERE UNABLE TO CONFIRM BECAUSE OF SUSPECT FUEL READINGS IN THE TANKS. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AT ZZZ1 AND TURNED OFF JUST SHORT OF END OF RWY. APPROX 30 MINS AFTER BLOCK-IN; TIRES #2 AND #5 FUSE PLUGS MELTED AND REQUIRED TIRE AND BRAKE CHANGE. #2 TIRE HAD RECENT MAINT HISTORY. I BELIEVE THAT THE L WING WAS HEAVIER THAN THE R WING BECAUSE OF HOW I HAD TO LAND THE AIRPLANE; AND THIS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE HOT BRAKES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED INITIALLY MAINT BELIEVED THE FUEL SYS CONTROLLER HAD FAILED; BUT AFTER RUNNING THE TEST ON THE MAINT COMPUTER; 41 OUTSTANDING FAULTS WERE DISPLAYED. THESE WERE MOST LIKELY FAULTS THAT CONTINUED TO ADD UP FROM SEVERAL OTHER FAULTS. THE NEXT DAY RPTR TOOK THE AIRPLANE AND THE AUTO-FUELING SYS WAS INOP AND THE FUEL SYS WAS OPERATED IN MANUAL AND WORKED SATISFACTORY. THE TIRES AND BRAKES WERE THE REASON THE AIRPLANE WAS OTS OVERNIGHT AS BRAKES HAD TO BE SENT INTO THE DIVERSION STATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.