Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 13000; Flight Crew Type 10000
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Diverted; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
The aircraft had a history of fuel system failures associated with CTR Tank Pump 2. These appeared to be sequencing failures; and thus Maintenance ran and passed a sequencing test. On taxi out; a subsequent ECAM for CTR Tank Pump 1 appeared. As the resulting ECAM was followed; the ECAM disappeared; and all systems were functioning normally. This continued until after Takeoff and into climbout; when the CTR tank pumps should begin to sequence on. The pumps failed to sequence on; with CTR Tank Pump 1 showing low pressure and CTR Tank pump 2 showing itself stuck in the standby mode. The associated ECAM's were completed; and attempts to restore pump operation through manual mode were unsuccessful. At that point; we checked the CB panel and discovered that CTR Tank Pump 1 CB was out. We then remembered the mechanic complaining about a CB that was difficult to operate in conjunction with his test and thought that may be the reason Pump 1 had low pressure. Nonetheless; we reviewed our options and considered landing enroute as useable fuel was insufficient to continue all the way to our destination. Dispatch; Maintenance Control and ATC were all brought into the loop and after all procedures were completed the event concluded with an uneventful landing and a replacement aircraft was obtained to complete the trip.
When chronic fuel pump problems resurfaced enroute the flight crew of an A319 was forced to land short of their destination due to insufficient accessible fuel. A substitute aircraft was utilized to complete the scheduled flight.