HS 125 Series 700
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 5200; Flight Crew Type 2645
Training / Qualification; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors
While en route at FL360; I noticed that we had a slight fuel imbalance between the right and left main fuel tanks. I told the First Officer that I was going to transfer fuel from the right tank to the left tank. About ten seconds after I had started the fuel transfer we lost power on the right engine. The First Officer agreed and confirmed the right engine had lost power. We both agreed that we should attempt a relight of the engine. The First Officer went through the relight checklist and attempted a relight with no success. We then asked for a lower altitude and a turn back to our departure airport. At that point we had discussed that we should go ahead and perform the engine shut down checklist and secure the right engine until we can get to a lower altitude and attempt a starter assisted relight. When the First Officer was performing the engine shut down checklist; he noticed that the 'Low Pressure Fuel Cock' was in the shut off position. He mentioned it to me and I told him that I was pretty sure that I had not shut that valve off during the fuel transfer; but I wasn't ruling out that possibility yet. When we passed through 27;000 FT the First Officer performed a 'starter assisted relight' checklist and right engine came back online and was producing normal power. We decided to continue to land anyway and have maintenance look at it. We wanted to verify that the Low Pressure Fuel Cock detents were working properly; and they were. We found; in conclusion; the reason for the loss of power was because the Low Pressure Fuel Cock valve was put into the shut off position. We have since incorporated into our SOPs a change on how we as a crew will transfer fuel; effective immediately. From now on both pilots will be involved in the transferring of fuel. The pilot performing the task of transferring of fuel will first identify the transfer valve and the other pilot will verify and acknowledge the transfer valve so as to not accidentally move the Low Pressure Fuel Cock into the shut off position.
A HS125 700 Captain accidentally closed the Low Pressure Fuel Cock valve while crossfeeding fuel which shut the engine down. It was restarted during descent as the aircraft returned to the departure airport.