An MD80 flight crew described unwanted fuel transfer from a wing tank to the center tank.

Attributes
ACN	758858
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.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 Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	758858
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel quantity indicator other flight crewa
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

About 1 hour from landing; the center tank went dry and the center tank boost pumps were turned off. Within 4-5 mins we had 2200 pounds of fuel in the center and 2200 pounds less fuel in the right main than the left. We turned the center pumps back on and got the fuel out of the center tank. Then we left the center tank pumps on and fed from the left main until we were back in balance. Then the xfeed lever was closed and left main tank pumps were left on and right main tank pumps were turned off. Center tank pumps were also turned off. With gravity feed to the right engine; very little unwanted xfer occurred and right inlet fuel pressure low light remained off until clearing the runway in ZZZ. Go figure. This xfer was very rapid and could quickly empty the tank and cause a flameout not to mention an 8000 pound fuel imbal at altitude. That would have been interesting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT CREW DESCRIBED UNWANTED FUEL TRANSFER FROM A WING TANK TO THE CENTER TANK.

Narrative: ABOUT 1 HR FROM LNDG; THE CTR TANK WENT DRY AND THE CTR TANK BOOST PUMPS WERE TURNED OFF. WITHIN 4-5 MINS WE HAD 2200 LBS OF FUEL IN THE CTR AND 2200 LBS LESS FUEL IN THE R MAIN THAN THE L. WE TURNED THE CTR PUMPS BACK ON AND GOT THE FUEL OUT OF THE CTR TANK. THEN WE LEFT THE CTR TANK PUMPS ON AND FED FROM THE L MAIN UNTIL WE WERE BACK IN BAL. THEN THE XFEED LEVER WAS CLOSED AND L MAIN TANK PUMPS WERE LEFT ON AND R MAIN TANK PUMPS WERE TURNED OFF. CTR TANK PUMPS WERE ALSO TURNED OFF. WITH GRAVITY FEED TO THE R ENG; VERY LITTLE UNWANTED XFER OCCURRED AND R INLET FUEL PRESSURE LOW LIGHT REMAINED OFF UNTIL CLRING THE RWY IN ZZZ. GO FIGURE. THIS XFER WAS VERY RAPID AND COULD QUICKLY EMPTY THE TANK AND CAUSE A FLAMEOUT NOT TO MENTION AN 8000 LB FUEL IMBAL AT ALT. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTING.

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.