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B737-300 first officer reports an underwing center tank fuel quantity gauge was found to be missing after receiving an error code in the cockpit prior to departure. Its removal was not properly documented.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 787925 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200805 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ind.airport |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8400 flight time type : 750 |
| ASRS Report | 787925 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : repair |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Arrived in ind late due to late departure from ZZZ. As we were getting ready to push; we noticed the center fuel quantity gauge was flashing an error code. We got in contact with maintenance who had us defer the gauge (the tank was empty). The deferral required a sticker on the gauge on the underwing fueling panel. We had the fueler come out to apply the sticker and he informed us that the gauge was missing. This was not caught on the walkaround because it is not part of the preflight inspection. Also; if the walkaround is done when the fueling panel door is closed; you cannot see the gauges. Maintenance informed us that the gauge needed to be there; which required contract maintenance to install one. Someone had removed the gauge in maintenance without the proper paperwork trail.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-300 FO REPORTS AN UNDERWING CENTER TANK FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE WAS FOUND TO BE MISSING AFTER RECEIVING AN ERROR CODE IN THE COCKPIT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. ITS REMOVAL WAS NOT PROPERLY DOCUMENTED.
Narrative: ARRIVED IN IND LATE DUE TO LATE DEP FROM ZZZ. AS WE WERE GETTING READY TO PUSH; WE NOTICED THE CTR FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE WAS FLASHING AN ERROR CODE. WE GOT IN CONTACT WITH MAINT WHO HAD US DEFER THE GAUGE (THE TANK WAS EMPTY). THE DEFERRAL REQUIRED A STICKER ON THE GAUGE ON THE UNDERWING FUELING PANEL. WE HAD THE FUELER COME OUT TO APPLY THE STICKER AND HE INFORMED US THAT THE GAUGE WAS MISSING. THIS WAS NOT CAUGHT ON THE WALKAROUND BECAUSE IT IS NOT PART OF THE PREFLT INSPECTION. ALSO; IF THE WALKAROUND IS DONE WHEN THE FUELING PANEL DOOR IS CLOSED; YOU CANNOT SEE THE GAUGES. MAINT INFORMED US THAT THE GAUGE NEEDED TO BE THERE; WHICH REQUIRED CONTRACT MAINT TO INSTALL ONE. SOMEONE HAD REMOVED THE GAUGE IN MAINT WITHOUT THE PROPER PAPERWORK TRAIL.
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.