MD-11
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
I had just completed my initial cockpit safety check when our jumpseater notified me that we had fuel leaking out of the wings. I turned the battery switch off (the only switch I thought I had moved) and checked the fuel synoptic page. It showed fuel being dumped out of the plane! I checked the fuel dump switch and found that it was on; and immediately turned it off. This stopped the fuel dump. I notified ramp tower of our spill; they said they would send emergency equipment/fire coverage. I called maintenance; and then the duty officer. Fortunately no one was in the area of the fuel spray; but several cans of cargo and a tug were soaked with fuel. I did not think I had turned the dump switch on; but maintenance confirmed that the dump switch would dump fuel even with the battery switch off; so I must have. I know our jumpseater brought some bottles of water up to the cockpit; and that is also about the time you often get an ACARS prompt after initializing it. All I can think of is I was distracted during that overhead panel check and turned the dump switch on by mistake as if it were the battery switch (both have clear guards over them). The fuel spill was cleaned up; and maintenance did a check of the fuel system and signed off my [aircraft release] write-up. I talked again with the Chief Pilot and Dispatcher before we departed for [destination] about 40 minutes late. My First Officer had been doing his walk around when the dump started; and thanks to him racing up to the front of the plane to notify me (through the jumpseater) the spill wasn't as large as it could have been.Inattention to detail. Distraction? Even being distracted I shouldn't have made this error. Putting my hand on a switch that I am 'checking' but should never reposition? I was not rushing; and I didn't have the typical excuse of it being [early morning] and tired. It was [afternoon]; sunny; and I was rested. Better attention to detail. Finish a panel flow completely before you turn away to handle something else. Don't touch the fuel dump switch; ever; unless you intend to dump fuel. Just check it visually without 'pointing at it' or putting your finger on it. Has anyone else ever done this? Maybe the dump switch should be safety wired; or disabled when the airplane is on the ground by a squat switch.
MD-11 Captain reported he inadvertently activated the fuel dump switch at the gate; spilling fuel on to the ramp.