A md-83 fuel low light illuminated at FL320; but without a departure station fuel slip the crew was ...

Attributes
ACN	1046443
Time
Date	201210
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Fuel Quantity-Pressure Indication
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural FAR Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue

Narrative:

At cruise FL320 the 'fuel low light' illuminated. Ran DC9 QRH procedures with fuel quantities above 2;500 pounds. Fuel reading crossing before descent was 7;000 pounds with 0 center. After reset; fuel low came back on. As per the warning note in QRH and a system check in the operating manual. Determined that without a fuel slip from our departure station; could not determine our fuel aboard was correct. Light comes on to indicate less than 2;500 pounds in tank. Needed 1;700 pounds to continue to our destination; a major airport was 40 miles behind us. Declared emergency with ATC; turned direct to the airport and landed north on runway 35R. Normal landing. Had maintenance stick tanks for fuel aboard aircraft to determine known quantity on aircraft; sticks showed about 700 pounds less than what was indicated. Had maintenance placard system; added a known quantity of fuel and departed for our destination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MD-83 Fuel Low Light illuminated at FL320; but without a departure station fuel slip the crew was uncertain about the quantity indicated so an emergency was declared and the flight diverted for fuel and maintenance.

Narrative: At cruise FL320 the 'Fuel Low Light' illuminated. Ran DC9 QRH procedures with fuel quantities above 2;500 LBS. Fuel reading crossing before descent was 7;000 LBS with 0 center. After reset; Fuel Low came back on. As per the Warning Note in QRH and a system check in the operating manual. Determined that without a fuel slip from our departure station; could not determine our fuel aboard was correct. Light comes on to indicate less than 2;500 LBS in tank. Needed 1;700 LBS to continue to our destination; a major airport was 40 miles behind us. Declared Emergency with ATC; turned direct to the airport and landed North on Runway 35R. Normal landing. Had Maintenance stick tanks for fuel aboard aircraft to determine known quantity on aircraft; sticks showed about 700 LBS less than what was indicated. Had Maintenance placard system; added a known quantity of fuel and departed for our destination.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

A md-83 fuel low light illuminated at FL320; but without a departure station fuel slip the crew was uncertain about the quantity indicated so an emergency was declared and the flight diverted for fuel and maintenance.