B737-900
Maintenance Powerplant; Maintenance Airframe
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Hazardous Material Violation; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance
General Maintenance Action
Human Factors
Three mechanics assigned to accomplish an irregular refuel process on Aircraft X. After I reviewed MEL AMM we started the refuel process. One mechanic in the flight deck to monitor the fuel load; and in direct radio contact with a mechanic at the fuel panel. The refuel process started and stopped several times as the fuel load was balanced. There was some miscommunication causing a few gallons of fuel to spill on the ramp. A fuel spill kit was brought in to contain and clean up fuel.
There was no power at the fueling panel. Fueling procedure per MEL [and] AMM were followed. I was in the flight deck to read fuel quantity while fuel was added to aircraft. We were near the total fuel needed but had too much fuel in the right tank. I said to stop fueling on the radio and said I was coming down [to] review the fuel numbers. We were discussing the numbers when we saw fuel coming out of the wing. We immediately contained the fuel spill.
Maintenance personnel reported a communications breakdown during irregular refueling procedure resulting in fuel spill of a B737.