Narrative:

During climb out crew observed fuel not feeding properly from center tank. Using QRH for abnormal procedure; crew determined center fuel would be unusable for the remainder of flight. Crew declared emergency for overweight landing with ATC and requested emergency equipment to monitor landing. Requested runway 14R although not currently being used for lndgs. Returned to ZZZ for uneventful landing. During QRH procedure crew noticed 2 aft center pump circuit breakers tripped. Following procedure with all main tank pumps off; inlet fuel pressure lights flashed. As all main fuel pumps were turned back on aircraft vibrated slightly. Flight attendant later reported abnormal noise or bump sound from rear of aircraft; possibly left side engine area. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated this same aircraft had previous issues with the center tank fuel pump circuit breakers. However; during their climbout; they did notice fuel feed problem and the tripped circuit breakers. They did not try and did not want to reset the center pump C/B's. After declaring an emergency and returning to the field; reporter believes maintenance changed one of the center fuel pumps. Reporter also stated when his carrier de-activated the low fuel level light indication on the tank gauges and with the ongoing problems of inaccurate fuel quantity; the flight crews are not always sure what they have left in the tanks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLIGHT CREW NOTICED FUEL NOT FEEDING PROPERLY FROM CENTER TANK. TWO AFT CENTER PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKERS TRIPPED. EMERGENCY DECLARED.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT CREW OBSERVED FUEL NOT FEEDING PROPERLY FROM CTR TANK. USING QRH FOR ABNORMAL PROC; CREW DETERMINED CTR FUEL WOULD BE UNUSABLE FOR THE REMAINDER OF FLT. CREW DECLARED EMER FOR OVERWT LNDG WITH ATC AND REQUESTED EMER EQUIP TO MONITOR LNDG. REQUESTED RWY 14R ALTHOUGH NOT CURRENTLY BEING USED FOR LNDGS. RETURNED TO ZZZ FOR UNEVENTFUL LNDG. DURING QRH PROC CREW NOTICED 2 AFT CTR PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKERS TRIPPED. FOLLOWING PROC WITH ALL MAIN TANK PUMPS OFF; INLET FUEL PRESSURE LIGHTS FLASHED. AS ALL MAIN FUEL PUMPS WERE TURNED BACK ON ACFT VIBRATED SLIGHTLY. FLT ATTENDANT LATER RPTED ABNORMAL NOISE OR BUMP SOUND FROM REAR OF ACFT; POSSIBLY L SIDE ENG AREA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THIS SAME ACFT HAD PREVIOUS ISSUES WITH THE CENTER TANK FUEL PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKERS. HOWEVER; DURING THEIR CLIMBOUT; THEY DID NOTICE FUEL FEED PROBLEM AND THE TRIPPED CIRCUIT BREAKERS. THEY DID NOT TRY AND DID NOT WANT TO RESET THE CENTER PUMP C/B'S. AFTER DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNING TO THE FIELD; REPORTER BELIEVES MAINT CHANGED ONE OF THE CENTER FUEL PUMPS. REPORTER ALSO STATED WHEN HIS CARRIER DE-ACTIVATED THE LOW FUEL LEVEL LIGHT INDICATION ON THE TANK GAUGES AND WITH THE ONGOING PROBLEMS OF INACCURATE FUEL QUANTITY; THE FLIGHT CREWS ARE NOT ALWAYS SURE WHAT THEY HAVE LEFT IN THE TANKS.

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.