Commuter small transport flight crew computed fuel required, then added the required fuel load for e...

Attributes
ACN	130850
Time
Date	198912
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	130850
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 730
ASRS Report	130565
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The captain and I reported for flight and briefed on desired fuel. Using a dipstick, I determined the fuel in the tanks to be 586 pounds. The captain asked me to subtract 586 pounds from 1255# (desired fuel) and divided the result by 13.1. I told the captain the answer was 51 gals, and asked if a split of 25 + 26 gals would do the job. He said that would be fine. I filled out a fuel request slip accordingly. The captain then signed it and it was given to the fueler. This error left us short of our desired fuel by 51 gals or 334.05#. The most easily read fuel gauge from the left seat was MEL'd inoperative. The other gauge pointer was hidden by a post light. The captain discovered the error in-flight. He then determined that it would be safer to make a fueling stop at pbi than to cut it close on the fuel by continuing to fll. I then requested radar vectors direct to pbi from ZMA. At shutdown after an uneventful landing we had 413.8 pounds of fuel (375# is reserve). Recommendations: 1) a standardized fuel computation method or form, 2) amend checklist to require a takeoff fuel callout and response, and 3) better ergonomics in cockpit design.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT FLT CREW COMPUTED FUEL REQUIRED, THEN ADDED THE REQUIRED FUEL LOAD FOR EACH WING AS THE TOTAL LOAD. ERROR DISCOVERED ENROUTE. DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: THE CAPT AND I RPTED FOR FLT AND BRIEFED ON DESIRED FUEL. USING A DIPSTICK, I DETERMINED THE FUEL IN THE TANKS TO BE 586 LBS. THE CAPT ASKED ME TO SUBTRACT 586 LBS FROM 1255# (DESIRED FUEL) AND DIVIDED THE RESULT BY 13.1. I TOLD THE CAPT THE ANSWER WAS 51 GALS, AND ASKED IF A SPLIT OF 25 + 26 GALS WOULD DO THE JOB. HE SAID THAT WOULD BE FINE. I FILLED OUT A FUEL REQUEST SLIP ACCORDINGLY. THE CAPT THEN SIGNED IT AND IT WAS GIVEN TO THE FUELER. THIS ERROR LEFT US SHORT OF OUR DESIRED FUEL BY 51 GALS OR 334.05#. THE MOST EASILY READ FUEL GAUGE FROM THE LEFT SEAT WAS MEL'D INOP. THE OTHER GAUGE POINTER WAS HIDDEN BY A POST LIGHT. THE CAPT DISCOVERED THE ERROR INFLT. HE THEN DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE SAFER TO MAKE A FUELING STOP AT PBI THAN TO CUT IT CLOSE ON THE FUEL BY CONTINUING TO FLL. I THEN REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS DIRECT TO PBI FROM ZMA. AT SHUTDOWN AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WE HAD 413.8 LBS OF FUEL (375# IS RESERVE). RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) A STANDARDIZED FUEL COMPUTATION METHOD OR FORM, 2) AMEND CHKLIST TO REQUIRE A TKOF FUEL CALLOUT AND RESPONSE, AND 3) BETTER ERGONOMICS IN COCKPIT DESIGN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.

Commuter small transport flight crew computed fuel required, then added the required fuel load for each wing as the total load. Error discovered enroute. Diverted to alternate.