Narrative:

On flight from ZZZ to ZZZ1; we received an ECAM 'fuel center tank pump 2 low pressure.' we were approximately 360 mi east of abc. The ECAM told us to 1) fuel xfeed -- on. 2) center tank 2 -- off. I had the first officer fly the airplane and work the radios while I completed the ECAM. I completed the ECAM and looked at the aircraft flight manual. After 10 mins; I looked at the fuel page and noticed a 1000 pound imbal. After an additional 10 mins (20 mins total); I saw a 2000 pound imbal. We began to investigate a fuel leak. I added to fuel on board to fuel used and found that it was close to our fuel on board at departure. We then timed our fuel burn for 10 mins and confirmed that we did not have a fuel leak. We realized at this point that we were only burning fuel out of the right wing since we completed the ECAM. In the meantime; I had dispatch call me to set up a phone patch with maintenance. This took at least 20 mins before maintenance could actually understand me on the frequency. At this point our fuel imbal had exceeded 4000 pounds. I pulled out the fuel imbal checklist. When I established communication with maintenance and explained the situation; he advised me to select 'fuel mode select -- manual' and then balance the fuel per the 'fuel imbal' procedure. The fuel imbal had exceeded 5000 pounds when we started to balance the fuel. The fuel balance procedure worked and maintenance advised us to leave the system in manual and leaved the xfeed valve closed for the duration of the flight. At this point the first officer noticed the note on the flight manual 'fuel center tank pump 2 low pressure' checklist. Under center tank pump (affected) -- off; it says to select fuel xfeed to 'off' when center tank is empty to avoid imbal. The ECAM did not give us this information and the note in the flight manual is below the center tank pump -- off. I take responsibility for missing this note but also feel that I might have had a better chance of noticing it if it were under the fuel xfeed -- on section of the checklist. Also; to my recollection; nothing on the ECAM procedure told us to close the fuel xfeed if there was no fuel in the center tank. At this point we continued uneventfully to ZZZ1.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CTR FUEL TANK PUMP FAILED RESULTING IN A FUEL IMBAL. THE QRH PROCS DID NOT DIRECT XFEED VALVE CLOSURE.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1; WE RECEIVED AN ECAM 'FUEL CTR TANK PUMP 2 LOW PRESSURE.' WE WERE APPROX 360 MI E OF ABC. THE ECAM TOLD US TO 1) FUEL XFEED -- ON. 2) CTR TANK 2 -- OFF. I HAD THE FO FLY THE AIRPLANE AND WORK THE RADIOS WHILE I COMPLETED THE ECAM. I COMPLETED THE ECAM AND LOOKED AT THE ACFT FLT MANUAL. AFTER 10 MINS; I LOOKED AT THE FUEL PAGE AND NOTICED A 1000 LB IMBAL. AFTER AN ADDITIONAL 10 MINS (20 MINS TOTAL); I SAW A 2000 LB IMBAL. WE BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE A FUEL LEAK. I ADDED TO FUEL ON BOARD TO FUEL USED AND FOUND THAT IT WAS CLOSE TO OUR FUEL ON BOARD AT DEP. WE THEN TIMED OUR FUEL BURN FOR 10 MINS AND CONFIRMED THAT WE DID NOT HAVE A FUEL LEAK. WE REALIZED AT THIS POINT THAT WE WERE ONLY BURNING FUEL OUT OF THE R WING SINCE WE COMPLETED THE ECAM. IN THE MEANTIME; I HAD DISPATCH CALL ME TO SET UP A PHONE PATCH WITH MAINT. THIS TOOK AT LEAST 20 MINS BEFORE MAINT COULD ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND ME ON THE FREQ. AT THIS POINT OUR FUEL IMBAL HAD EXCEEDED 4000 LBS. I PULLED OUT THE FUEL IMBAL CHKLIST. WHEN I ESTABLISHED COM WITH MAINT AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION; HE ADVISED ME TO SELECT 'FUEL MODE SELECT -- MANUAL' AND THEN BAL THE FUEL PER THE 'FUEL IMBAL' PROC. THE FUEL IMBAL HAD EXCEEDED 5000 LBS WHEN WE STARTED TO BAL THE FUEL. THE FUEL BAL PROC WORKED AND MAINT ADVISED US TO LEAVE THE SYS IN MANUAL AND LEAVED THE XFEED VALVE CLOSED FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLT. AT THIS POINT THE FO NOTICED THE NOTE ON THE FLT MANUAL 'FUEL CTR TANK PUMP 2 LOW PRESSURE' CHKLIST. UNDER CTR TANK PUMP (AFFECTED) -- OFF; IT SAYS TO SELECT FUEL XFEED TO 'OFF' WHEN CTR TANK IS EMPTY TO AVOID IMBAL. THE ECAM DID NOT GIVE US THIS INFO AND THE NOTE IN THE FLT MANUAL IS BELOW THE CTR TANK PUMP -- OFF. I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MISSING THIS NOTE BUT ALSO FEEL THAT I MIGHT HAVE HAD A BETTER CHANCE OF NOTICING IT IF IT WERE UNDER THE FUEL XFEED -- ON SECTION OF THE CHKLIST. ALSO; TO MY RECOLLECTION; NOTHING ON THE ECAM PROC TOLD US TO CLOSE THE FUEL XFEED IF THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE CTR TANK. AT THIS POINT WE CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO ZZZ1.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.