Fuel distribution system anomaly and deteriorating visibility combine to force MD11 flight crew to c...

Attributes
ACN	720159
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 11 other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision approach other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	720159
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The captain and I reported in ZZZ1 after reduced rest due to a late arrival the day before. Scheduling reduced our preflight time from 1 hour to 45 mins to try to minimize the delay. After looking at the flight release we decided we wanted more fuel than the dispatcher had given us. The captain explained his reasons to the dispatcher who became defensive and turned the request into an issue. Despite this; we did our best to not rush our preflts and were very aware of the potential for errors. During the descent into ZZZ; at approximately 12000 ft we received 2 level 1 alerts: 'tnk 1 tip fuel trapped' and 'tank 1 fuel quantity low.' 5700 pounds of fuel was trapped in the tip tank of tank #1 leaving us with not much more than emergency fuel available. I was certainly glad the captain persuaded the dispatcher about the additional fuel at this point. When we checked in with ZZZ approach I informed the controller that we would be unable to accept a delay as we were having trouble with our fuel system. He vectored us for a straight in to runway 11 thinking that the WX was still VFR as advertised on the ATIS. In fact the WX had deteriorated to MVFR. When I asked if we were cleared to intercept the localizer; he replied that he wanted us to identify the airport for the visual. I told him that the WX had changed and that was not possible. By this time we were high for the approach. We finally picked up the runway visually; and the captain corrected the glide path. Even though we were high on the GS at 1000 ft with a sink rate of about 1100 FPM; we elected to continue the approach due to the uncertainty of how much fuel would be available to us for a go around and another approach. We were stable by 500 ft. Even though there is a huge emphasis on being stable at 1000 ft; we felt this was the safest course of action due to the fuel problem. On short final on the approach there was only 3000 pounds in tank #2; and only 3000 pounds that we could get to in tank #1.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL DISTRIBUTION SYS ANOMALY AND DETERIORATING VISIBILITY COMBINE TO FORCE MD11 FLT CREW TO CONTINUE APCH AND LNDG DESPITE TECHNICAL FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH STABILIZED APCH CRITERIA ON FINAL.

Narrative: THE CAPT AND I RPTED IN ZZZ1 AFTER REDUCED REST DUE TO A LATE ARR THE DAY BEFORE. SCHEDULING REDUCED OUR PREFLT TIME FROM 1 HR TO 45 MINS TO TRY TO MINIMIZE THE DELAY. AFTER LOOKING AT THE FLT RELEASE WE DECIDED WE WANTED MORE FUEL THAN THE DISPATCHER HAD GIVEN US. THE CAPT EXPLAINED HIS REASONS TO THE DISPATCHER WHO BECAME DEFENSIVE AND TURNED THE REQUEST INTO AN ISSUE. DESPITE THIS; WE DID OUR BEST TO NOT RUSH OUR PREFLTS AND WERE VERY AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR ERRORS. DURING THE DSCNT INTO ZZZ; AT APPROX 12000 FT WE RECEIVED 2 LEVEL 1 ALERTS: 'TNK 1 TIP FUEL TRAPPED' AND 'TANK 1 FUEL QUANTITY LOW.' 5700 LBS OF FUEL WAS TRAPPED IN THE TIP TANK OF TANK #1 LEAVING US WITH NOT MUCH MORE THAN EMER FUEL AVAILABLE. I WAS CERTAINLY GLAD THE CAPT PERSUADED THE DISPATCHER ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL FUEL AT THIS POINT. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH ZZZ APCH I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO ACCEPT A DELAY AS WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE WITH OUR FUEL SYS. HE VECTORED US FOR A STRAIGHT IN TO RWY 11 THINKING THAT THE WX WAS STILL VFR AS ADVERTISED ON THE ATIS. IN FACT THE WX HAD DETERIORATED TO MVFR. WHEN I ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED TO INTERCEPT THE LOC; HE REPLIED THAT HE WANTED US TO IDENT THE ARPT FOR THE VISUAL. I TOLD HIM THAT THE WX HAD CHANGED AND THAT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. BY THIS TIME WE WERE HIGH FOR THE APCH. WE FINALLY PICKED UP THE RWY VISUALLY; AND THE CAPT CORRECTED THE GLIDE PATH. EVEN THOUGH WE WERE HIGH ON THE GS AT 1000 FT WITH A SINK RATE OF ABOUT 1100 FPM; WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE APCH DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF HOW MUCH FUEL WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO US FOR A GAR AND ANOTHER APCH. WE WERE STABLE BY 500 FT. EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A HUGE EMPHASIS ON BEING STABLE AT 1000 FT; WE FELT THIS WAS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION DUE TO THE FUEL PROB. ON SHORT FINAL ON THE APCH THERE WAS ONLY 3000 LBS IN TANK #2; AND ONLY 3000 LBS THAT WE COULD GET TO IN TANK #1.

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.

Fuel distribution system anomaly and deteriorating visibility combine to force MD11 flight crew to continue approach and landing despite technical failure to comply with stabilized approach criteria on final.