A B737-200 WAS OPERATED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A FUEL IMBAL THAT EXCEEDED FLT MANUAL LIMITS.

Narrative

UPON LNDG AND SHUTDOWN AT IND; FO STARTED THE APU TO PROVIDE BLEED AIR FOR THE PACKS TO COOL THE ACFT. THE XFEED VALVE WAS OPENED AND THE R FUEL PUMPS ENERGIZED TO PROVIDE FUEL FROM THE TANK WITH THE MOST FUEL: APPROX 3600 LBS IN THE L TANK AND 3200 LBS IN THE R. THE FO THEN PROCEEDED WITH AN EXTERIOR INSPECTION FOR THE NEXT LEG AND RETRIEVED THE PAPERWORK FROM THE GATE AGENT. THE FO AND CAPT COMPLETED THE PREFLT BEFORE SCHEDULED DEP. FLT PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY UNTIL 13 MI FROM ATL; DSNDING TO 12000 FT. THE FO WAS FLYING WHILE THE CAPT ACCOMPLISHED THE APCH CHKLIST. THE CAPT NOTICED A FUEL IMBAL GREATER THAN THE LIMITS SPECIFIED IN THE OPS MANUAL. HE RELINQUISHED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RADIOS TO THE FO AND CONTACTED THE DISPATCHER AND MAINT COORDINATOR. THE FO CONTINUED THE ARR DSCNT WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED AND ARRANGED FOR A VECTOR OUT OF THE PATTERN. ATC QUERIED IF 'ASSISTANCE WAS NEEDED.' THE CAPT; FO; DISPATCHER; AND MAINT COORDINATOR CONCURRED THAT A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG WITH MINIMUM BANK INTO THE HVY WING WAS APPROPRIATE; GIVEN THE FUEL STATE AND LNDG WT. THE CAPT FLEW A 30 DEG FLAP VISUAL APCH TO ATL RWY 27L FROM A 12 MI FINAL. LNDG WT WAS 95500 LBS. FINAL WAS FLOWN AT 140 KIAS WITH 4 UNITS OF RUDDER TRIM TO THE R. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN IN THE LNDG ZONE ON CTRLINE WITH 1 DEG OF BANK TOWARD THE HVY WING. FUEL STATE AT LNDG WAS 4800 LBS ON THE L AND 1300 LBS ON THE R.