MD80 flight crew has a fuel imbal during climb.

Attributes
ACN	696853
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc tower : ric.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	696853
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Before takeoff roll check fuel and saw: L-9300 R-9300 C-6100. 80 degree 28K crosswind from right during takeoff. Normal climb; normal procedures for anti-ice; etc. As we were leveling off; noticed control column at right angle 30 degrees. Saw fuel L-9300 R-6100 C-5100. Initiated checklist including having flight attendant check for fuel misting from right wing. Started xfeeding from left wing to balance fuel load. By XA07Z had wings balanced again. Experimented with all pumps on. Saw fuel load on right wing decrease with center with very little decreases and no decrease from left. During balancing with left fuel pumps on; only noticed fuel from right wing apparently drifting into center tank.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW HAS A FUEL IMBAL DURING CLB.

Narrative: BEFORE TKOF ROLL CHK FUEL AND SAW: L-9300 R-9300 C-6100. 80 DEG 28K XWIND FROM R DURING TKOF. NORMAL CLB; NORMAL PROCS FOR ANTI-ICE; ETC. AS WE WERE LEVELING OFF; NOTICED CTL COLUMN AT R ANGLE 30 DEGS. SAW FUEL L-9300 R-6100 C-5100. INITIATED CHKLIST INCLUDING HAVING FLT ATTENDANT CHK FOR FUEL MISTING FROM R WING. STARTED XFEEDING FROM L WING TO BAL FUEL LOAD. BY XA07Z HAD WINGS BALANCED AGAIN. EXPERIMENTED WITH ALL PUMPS ON. SAW FUEL LOAD ON R WING DECREASE WITH CTR WITH VERY LITTLE DECREASES AND NO DECREASE FROM L. DURING BALANCING WITH L FUEL PUMPS ON; ONLY NOTICED FUEL FROM R WING APPARENTLY DRIFTING INTO CTR TANK.

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.