MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
The non-standard fuel load was noted during review of flight release in the terminal. During completion of before takeoff checklist I moved all (wings and center fuel tank) fuel pump switches to what I believed was the ON position. Later; during the cruise check; I realized the fuel was NOT feeding from center; and wings were down to approximately 5;500 LBS each with approximately 3;800 LBS in the center tank. We were deviating off planned route through scattered thunderstorms and my attention was diverted to outside the cockpit prior to seeing the fuel imbalance. I reconfigured the fuel pump switches and cross feed lever to burn center fuel and continued to destination. Fuel cross feed was terminated on approach with less than 800 LBS remaining in the center tank. The landing was normal and speeds/trim settings were normal.My mistake was in not visually verifying that the center pump switches were in the ON position during completion of the before takeoff checklist. I had unknowingly moved the center pump switches from the AUTO (full aft/up) position to the OFF (one click/notch - forward/down) position. To avoid this in the future I plan to get started with the checklist a little earlier; avoid getting rushed and visually verifying all switch position when selected.
MD-80 Captain reported he failed to properly position the fuel pump switches in a non-standard fuel load situation.