Virgin Australia B738 near Coolangatta on Apr 15th 2012, fuel imbalance

Last Update: November 27, 2012 / 17:57:13 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Apr 15, 2012

Aircraft Registration
VH-VOL

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

The Australian Transportation Safety Board (ATSB) released their final report without conclusion or safety message.

The ATSB reported that the aircraft was climbing out of Coolangatta when the crew noticed that both engines were supplied from the right hand wing tank creating a fuel imbalance between left and right hand tank. The crew executed the fuel leak checklist which confirmed no fuel leak existed. As fuel was available in the center tank, the crew selected the center tank pumps on which stabilized the fuel imbalance. The crew was unable to verify however that fuel off the left hand tank would remain available once the center pumps would be needed to be turned off they decided to divert to Brisbane for a safe landing on runway 19.

The ATSB reported that prior to departure from Coolangatta a delay had occurred requiring extended ground operation of the aircraft. To prevent a fuel imbalance the cross feed valve had been selected open. Prior to departure the cross feed valve was selected closed again in preparation for flight, the indications confirmed the valve had closed.

Prior to the occurrence Boeing had received a number of reports of fuel imbalances occurring during flight as result of the cross feed valve not fully closing due to excessive wear in the valve disk spline with aircraft having accumulated between 22,928 and 27,390 hours in service. The condition was not determined a safety risk because the condition would be indicated to the crew as fuel imbalance prior to the valve deteriorating to a state where it could not be opened. Nonetheless, a service letter had been issued in September 2010 introducing a new valve body assembly recommended to address the crossfeed valve fuel leakage occurrences.

The incident aircraft had accumulated 31,858 hours at the time of the occurrence. Due to the history as described above the cross feed valve was removed from the aircraft and sent for examination, which confirmed wear consistent with a fuel leak through the valve.
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Apr 15, 2012

Aircraft Registration
VH-VOL

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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