Qantas flight low on fuel, reserves switched off
 

"....investigators found a 737 flying over Victoria appeared to be low on fuel before the pilot realised reserve fuel pump switches were off.
The bungle, which occurred on August 11 when the airliner was en route from Perth to Sydney, saw the Australian Transport Safety Bureau classify the fuel scare as a "serious incident", which remains under investigation.

An October 11 ATSB report on the fuel bungle stated: "The main fuel tanks were low on fuel and the investigation estimated there was about 100kg in each.
"The pilot in command observed the centre tank fuel pump switches on the forward overhead panel were selected to the 'off' position and he immediately selected them to the 'on' position."
The centre fuel tank held a reserve of 4700kg.
The crew discussed the problem and confirmed the reserves would get the aircraft safely to Sydney.
The 737-476, able to carry up to 150 passengers, was 50km northwest of Swan Hill - almost three hours into its flight - when the error was identified.
Qantas chief pilot Capt Chris Manning said the incident was taken "extremely seriously".

Mods please delete if this is old old news. It is todays newspaper.

Sounds nasty!

5 minutes from disaster. Had the mains run dry, there would have been no fuel for the APU and no way of powereing the pumps for the centre tank.

Fuel sequence
 

Don't we use the centre tank first in the 37? This one was a slightly later model but I remember learning how the center pumps put out slightly more pressure to ensure the center tank was used first.

Were they asleep? Several pointers/alerts missed.:eek: I wonder what alerted them at all? Did the cabin crew say 'What's them yellow thingies on the dashboard"?

This may have been on D&G but not here, I think. Just a touch of adverse press at the moment for QANTAS?

beamender99Any idea which year that was???

Sounds like the press are raking the archives for anything on a particular carrier, just to sell more papers = SOP.

It was a year ago. Paxboy is right.

11 Aug 2007 - VH-TJE

"Sounds like the press are raking the archives for anything on a particular carrier, just to sell more papers = SOP"

Takes the pressure off BA :}

If the crew concerned were the first ever to do such a thing (omit to burn fuel from centre/aux tanks first) I'll walk starkers, backwards, down Bourke Street! :}

Bit chilly at the mo. How about waiting for the summer?;)

Qantas lost a Connie in 1960 - shhhh - don't tell the press.

Funny,the press don't seem too concerned about trains that carry a lot more passengers at high speed all over the world.Imagine if every incident that happened had to be reported in as much detail as that required for passenger aircraft :uhoh:

would love to know what a reserve fuel pump switch in a 737 classic is. Granted i've only been flying em for 6 months, but i'm sure that would have been covered in groundschool somewhere.

The original post has a mixed grasp of the 737.Both phrases, "centre tank" & "reserve tank" are used, in this case they meant “centre”
However, some 737 "classics" were fitted with a Rogerson aux fuel tank. So you had an extra panel with the aux tank swiches & low pressure lights. Plus a Smiths or Simmonds Aux tank indicator.

"Sometimes is is better to remain quiet & seem a fool, rather than open your mouth & remove all doubt";)

Oxidant
 

Supposing this was an AC fitted with the 4th aux tank, can you tell me how the 4th indicator was displayed? I have never flown a 4 tank 73 but remember reading somewhere that the 3 indicator triangle became a square - If this is the case then neither intuitive or ergnomic in design, and real potential for error.

However if this was the 3 tank varient then down to 100kg IS a bit "running on fumes" :eek:

Sorry I don't know how to add a pic.
There are three combinations;
1. The normal three in the "pyramid" + the aux somewhere underneath.
2. The square as you mention.
3. A sort of diamond, with the wing tanks "West & East" & the centre & Aux. "North & South"

Cheers.

A couple of QF B737-400 did have Aux tanks but have been since the arrival of the B737-800 the Aux tanks have all been removed from classic fleet.
The Qf 737 classic only has 3 mains fuel tanks (not including the surge tanks), Left/Right wing and center tanks.

lol, gee perhaps SLF buy the papers that the press produce?

Perhaps they are interested?

Oxidant
 

Thanks for that - I had only read about the square - the others you describe seem to be much more intuitive. :ok:

Yes, well perhaps that's true. But a little balance would be nice.

This morning, the biggest selling paper in Melbourne (Herald Sun) had an article about a Qantas flight being cancelled because of a maintenance issue that was unable to be rectified in time!!

Prior to the Manila diversion, this would NEVER have seen the light of day. It is now obviously nothing more than Qantas-bashing. I'm sure it happens throughout the world when a carrier has an incident, but it's pretty distasteful all the same.