An MD80 on initial climb crew discovered improper fuel load. Returned to departure airport. Deferred item was for center tank pump inoperative. Aircraft fueled for wing tank pump inoperative.

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Attributes
ACN	701429
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : mygal
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
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 Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	701429
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : central tank pump other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : work cards contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Environmental Factor Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Flight had a fuel pump inoperative on flight release. Dispatch release the flight with no ballast fuel and a standard fuel load shown on the fuel slip (I have the paper work) the release fuel was 12294 and that was on board the aircraft. The placard for the fuel pump that was inoperative was placed next to the wing tanks (ie; main tanks) not next to the center tank pump switches as required by the MEL. This led me to believe that there was a wing tank pump inoperative not a center tank pump. The difference is that for a for a wing tank pump you do not need ballast fuel. For a center tank pump you do need ballast fuel. After takeoff at 10000 ft we checked the fuel and it became apparent that the center pump was inoperative and not a wing pump. Because of this the fuel in the center tank is now ballast and cannot be used. We returned uneventfully. Dispatch and chief pilot notified.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 ON INITIAL CLB CREW DISCOVERED IMPROPER FUEL LOAD. RETURNED TO DEP ARPT. DEFERRED ITEM WAS FOR CTR TANK PUMP INOP. ACFT FUELED FOR WING TANK PUMP INOP.

Narrative: FLT HAD A FUEL PUMP INOP ON FLT RELEASE. DISPATCH RELEASE THE FLT WITH NO BALLAST FUEL AND A STANDARD FUEL LOAD SHOWN ON THE FUEL SLIP (I HAVE THE PAPER WORK) THE RELEASE FUEL WAS 12294 AND THAT WAS ON BOARD THE ACFT. THE PLACARD FOR THE FUEL PUMP THAT WAS INOP WAS PLACED NEXT TO THE WING TANKS (IE; MAIN TANKS) NOT NEXT TO THE CTR TANK PUMP SWITCHES AS REQUIRED BY THE MEL. THIS LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A WING TANK PUMP INOP NOT A CTR TANK PUMP. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT FOR A FOR A WING TANK PUMP YOU DO NOT NEED BALLAST FUEL. FOR A CTR TANK PUMP YOU DO NEED BALLAST FUEL. AFTER TKOF AT 10000 FT WE CHKED THE FUEL AND IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE CTR PUMP WAS INOP AND NOT A WING PUMP. BECAUSE OF THIS THE FUEL IN THE CTR TANK IS NOW BALLAST AND CANNOT BE USED. WE RETURNED UNEVENTFULLY. DISPATCH AND CHIEF PLT NOTIFIED.

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.