Flight Crew Last 90 Days 140; Flight Crew Total 16000; Flight Crew Type 1200
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution
Aircraft; Company Policy
At 5:15 hours into flight; pilot flying; Relief Pilot in Captain seat in cruise at FL340 a Fuel SYS Pressure caution sounded and displayed on the EICAS accompanied by illumination of the amber light in the Left Aft Fuel Pump switch on the overhead fuel system control panel. The First Officer and I immediately determined that the aircraft was flying normally with no adverse engine or flight management issues. I monitored the aircraft while the First Officer referenced the appropriate checklist in the QRH and directed the purser to have the Captain return to the flight deck. With the Captain in command; we determined that the flight manual directed a landing at the nearest suitable airport because both A/C Fuel Pumps in the left main system were now indicating inoperative --the Left Forward Fuel Pump was properly deferred and rendered inoperative prior to our departure. The Captain consulted with Dispatch and Maintenance via SATCOM and we all concurred a diversion to ZZZZ; was the appropriate course of action. The Captain then briefed the purser and the passengers as to our intentions. With the completion of the Diversion Checklist and direction from Air Traffic Control; an uneventful descent; approach and heavyweight landing were accomplished by the Captain. The fuel system malfunction; overweight landing and some unrelated cabin discrepancies were properly communicated to Maintenance before we deplaned. The Captain then directed me and the other First Officer to assist him in coordinating for and confirming that all passengers and crew were properly cleared by authorities; fed and quartered. We departed the next day in a different 767 and completed the trip.
Approaching the coast I was called back from break. I was advised by the crew that the [left] aft fuel pump had failed. (The forward pump was already deferred as an MEL item for our dispatch; leaving us with nothing but suction feed for the left engine at this time; at cruise altitude.) The engine was still running without seeming difficulty; after the second pump failed. After going through the QRH; (Quick Reference Handbook) as well as speaking with dispatch and (our Maintenance Controller) regarding our condition (including an overweight landing) we relayed our intentions to divert to ZZZZ as it appeared to be the safest and most prudent course of action. ZZZZ was about 80 miles behind us at the time and the closest airport to us. We received a clearance from ATC without delay and made an overweight landing (329.0 vs. max 320.0) via a visual approach with a headwind of around 10 knots. The landing performance obtained from ACARS indicated the runway was more than adequate. Although this particular runway didn't have an approach that we could utilize the weather conditions were quite favorable for a simple visual approach. The landing was very smooth; (0 Vertical velocity at touchdown as indicated by our computers) we rolled out using mostly reverse thrust for speed reduction; which kept the brake temps in a low/normal range. The engine with the failed pumps stayed in a normal condition throughout the approach and landing and taxi in. We had FAM's on board; so we notified ATC on taxi in as well as Dispatch; as per our diversion guide. The passengers were off loaded within a few hours to the terminal once it was secured for foreign visitors (us). The flight resumed the next day on a different A/C. To my knowledge; we didn't violate any FAR's during this event.
B767 flight crew experiences the failure of a left wing tank fuel pump after being dispatched with the left forward pump on MEL; leaving the left engine to suction (and gravity) feed. Company procedures required diversion to the nearest suitable airport for maintenance.