Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 15000; Flight Crew Type 3200
Confusion; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Flight Crew FLC Overrode Automation
Human Factors; Procedure
Fuel vented from right main tank through the left wing vent during refueling operations. The First Officer went down stairs to supervise refueling operations. When I observed that the fueling was pouring out of the wing. I ran out of the airplane to stop the refueling. The First Officer was not aware of the fuel spill. However he had already concluded the refueling operation. Initially I thought that the normal method of using the auto refueling system being used and that the auto fill system had malfunctioned. However; later in further discussion I learned from the First Officer that he used the manual override valves to refuel which caused the fuel spill. We informed operations and Maintenance by phone but of delay and communication issues in that country; I elected not to make any logbook entry until after arrival back in the U.S. Upon arrival at our first port of entry in the U.S. [I] made a wrong entry as to the cause of the fuel spill. i.e. I mentioned the spill was because of the auto refill system malfunction rather than saying; fuel spill caused by manual fuel override valves. I also was informed by Maintenance that because the Maintenance deferral for the refueling system was opened at the port of landing and not at the departure point I effectively flew with an open write up. The refuel system was initially put on deferral and subsequently cleared before the next flight.
A MD-80 First Officer supervised refueling at a foreign station with the Fuel Valves in the MANUAL OVERRIDE position which caused an overfilled right main fuel tank to vent out the left wing vent. The fuel system was thought to be faulty but not entered in the Maintenance Log until arrival in the U.S.