Flight crew is dispatched with unusable fuel in center tank.

Attributes
ACN	702309
Time
Date	200606
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
ASRS Report	702309
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Aircraft XXX had MEL; center tank fuel boost pumps active. In the remarks section of the flight plan I referred to the MEL and commented that any fuel in the center tank was considered unusable ballast but I failed to call the load agent to make her aware of the MEL restr. 18 mins after takeoff; the captain called me on the radio to let me know that he had 5100 pounds of fuel in the center tank and his total fuel load was the release fuel of 12500 pounds. With 5100 pounds of unusable fuel on board; he would have to return to ZZZ. The captain then informed ATC that he was having fuel flow problems. ATC declared an emergency and ordered crash fire rescue equipment. The captain informed me that he canceled the emergency with ATC on final approach. Flight returned to ZZZ without any further incident; refueled and departed for ZZZ1.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW IS DISPATCHED WITH UNUSABLE FUEL IN CTR TANK.

Narrative: ACFT XXX HAD MEL; CTR TANK FUEL BOOST PUMPS ACTIVE. IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE FLT PLAN I REFERRED TO THE MEL AND COMMENTED THAT ANY FUEL IN THE CTR TANK WAS CONSIDERED UNUSABLE BALLAST BUT I FAILED TO CALL THE LOAD AGENT TO MAKE HER AWARE OF THE MEL RESTR. 18 MINS AFTER TKOF; THE CAPT CALLED ME ON THE RADIO TO LET ME KNOW THAT HE HAD 5100 LBS OF FUEL IN THE CTR TANK AND HIS TOTAL FUEL LOAD WAS THE RELEASE FUEL OF 12500 LBS. WITH 5100 LBS OF UNUSABLE FUEL ON BOARD; HE WOULD HAVE TO RETURN TO ZZZ. THE CAPT THEN INFORMED ATC THAT HE WAS HAVING FUEL FLOW PROBS. ATC DECLARED AN EMER AND ORDERED CFR. THE CAPT INFORMED ME THAT HE CANCELED THE EMER WITH ATC ON FINAL APCH. FLT RETURNED TO ZZZ WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT; REFUELED AND DEPARTED FOR ZZZ1.

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.