Date: 201908
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Takeoff / Launch
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Aircraft component: Fuel Distribution System
Component problem: Failed
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Time Pressure; Communication Breakdown; Troubleshooting
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Company Policy; Aircraft; Procedure
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: Upon departure out of ZZZ; we had a caution message of L XFER SOV. We got the aircraft stabilized then I swapped radios and controls to the FO (First Officer) and pulled out the appropriate QRH. We ran the QRH; and the checklist said to return to field if the fuel in the center tank doesn't go to zero. The fuel was climbing; so we executed an immediate return to field as the QRH said.Upon the descent into ZZZ the message went away but we still continued to the field after some deliberation. Upon landing in ZZZ we deplaned the passengers. I contacted everyone I could think of about the event to make sure everyone was in the loop about the situation. We had Maintenance come out and MEL an item. He also checked to see that the SOV (Shutoff Valve) was closed and the center fuel tank was empty. I didn't want to take this aircraft again and have the same issue return to field because of fuel in the center tank. Maintenance went out to check the the tank; while the fuelers were out there.I had to run inside to get the release paperwork started in order to try to get this flight out. There is an issue with the return to field aircraft getting paperwork and I had the agent manager on the phone with dispatch in order to try to work out the issue. We couldn't get the release paperwork in order to get the flight out.When I returned to the aircraft I immediately looked at the fuel and saw 700 lbs in the center tank. We immediately called the fuelers back and had them drain the center tank because according to the MEL we could have none. Meanwhile all this happening time is against us and our duty period. Fuelers were able to get the fuel down to 70 lbs in the center tank. I called maintenance and they said they could drain it or we could start up the engine and it'll drain itself. Due to the MEL and the RTF I didn't want to go with the second option.At this point we still had no release and I called Dispatch to let them know it'd be pretty impossible to get us off the ground on time. There was no one at our gate for the longest period of time. No one updating the passengers or taking complaints. I got locked out of the aircraft twice with no one at the gate and just a crowd full of passengers looking for answers.The system needs to be fixed or a workaround needs to be developed to get aircraft their releases. I was on the phone with ZZZ and the agent and we could not get the release sent. Even about 30 minutes prior to wheels up with no one boarded the agent was able to print out just two pages of the release. I also talked to the fuelers who put the 700 lbs into the center tank to ask how it go there and they said the system will automatically put fuel into the center tank depending on how much fuel the aircraft is getting. I should have personally told the fuelers about the center tank fuel however I was on the phone trying to get the release. There was a lot of things happening at once and nothing working in our favor.Crew times out; canceled flight Fix EDR system. Look into ZZZ management; It really seemed like no one wanted to work our flight. I don't think our gate should have been empty for as long as it was. I told them way out of our duty time. Both a supervisor and manager but still our gate was left empty.




Synopsis: CRJ Captain reported fuel transfer problem; requiring a return to the departure airport.