Narrative:

My first officer and I are both senior in our positions. We checked the fuel 3 times prior to departure. My first officer checked the stubwing fuel panel noted 1400 pounds which was low for the flight and didn't think anything of it. I had mentioned the fuel range but apparently he had not heard. The checklists, which we were using, calls for a fuel check prior to engine start. I was distraction by a ramper and neglected to look at the gauge. I did ask my first officer if the stubwing panel checked. He said yes but never questioned the fuel load. I caught it after we left the gate during my cockpit scan. We immediately returned to the gate for fuel. At no time were we airborne or in the process of taking off. Our taxi checklist calls for one additional fuel check prior to takeoff. I believe by first officer lacked initiative in that if he was not certain as to the fuel load he should have questioned it. Also, 1400 pounds is the minimum dispatch fuel but 1900 pounds was the minimum for the flight. He was certainly experienced enough to suspect the fuel load wasn't correct. I on the other hand should not have become distraction by ramp activity during the checklist.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LTT TAXIED FROM RAMP WITHOUT SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE PLANNED FLT. RETURNED FOR PROPER FUELING.

Narrative: MY F/O AND I ARE BOTH SENIOR IN OUR POSITIONS. WE CHKED THE FUEL 3 TIMES PRIOR TO DEP. MY F/O CHKED THE STUBWING FUEL PANEL NOTED 1400 LBS WHICH WAS LOW FOR THE FLT AND DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT. I HAD MENTIONED THE FUEL RANGE BUT APPARENTLY HE HAD NOT HEARD. THE CHKLISTS, WHICH WE WERE USING, CALLS FOR A FUEL CHK PRIOR TO ENG START. I WAS DISTR BY A RAMPER AND NEGLECTED TO LOOK AT THE GAUGE. I DID ASK MY F/O IF THE STUBWING PANEL CHKED. HE SAID YES BUT NEVER QUESTIONED THE FUEL LOAD. I CAUGHT IT AFTER WE LEFT THE GATE DURING MY COCKPIT SCAN. WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO THE GATE FOR FUEL. AT NO TIME WERE WE AIRBORNE OR IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING OFF. OUR TAXI CHKLIST CALLS FOR ONE ADDITIONAL FUEL CHK PRIOR TO TKOF. I BELIEVE BY F/O LACKED INITIATIVE IN THAT IF HE WAS NOT CERTAIN AS TO THE FUEL LOAD HE SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED IT. ALSO, 1400 LBS IS THE MINIMUM DISPATCH FUEL BUT 1900 LBS WAS THE MINIMUM FOR THE FLT. HE WAS CERTAINLY EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO SUSPECT THE FUEL LOAD WASN'T CORRECT. I ON THE OTHER HAND SHOULD NOT HAVE BECOME DISTR BY RAMP ACTIVITY DURING THE CHKLIST.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.