Air carrier large transport took off with less than required fuel. MEL requirement exaggerated the p...

Attributes
ACN	193426
Time
Date	199111
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gdl
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff 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 : 250 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	193426
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The crew commenced normal preflight, duties and were advised the #3 fuel quantity gauge was MEL'd inoperative. Because of several assumptions on the part of ground handling personnel, fuel gauge inoperative procedures could not be performed in a timely manner. Consequently because of the confusion involved, a human error was made and flight took off with 10000 pounds less than required fuel. We returned to gdl, refueled the proper amount and continued on to sfo without event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TOOK OFF WITH LESS THAN REQUIRED FUEL. MEL REQUIREMENT EXAGGERATED THE PROBLEM.

Narrative: THE CREW COMMENCED NORMAL PREFLT, DUTIES AND WERE ADVISED THE #3 FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE WAS MEL'D INOP. BECAUSE OF SEVERAL ASSUMPTIONS ON THE PART OF GND HANDLING PERSONNEL, FUEL GAUGE INOP PROCS COULD NOT BE PERFORMED IN A TIMELY MANNER. CONSEQUENTLY BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSION INVOLVED, A HUMAN ERROR WAS MADE AND FLT TOOK OFF WITH 10000 POUNDS LESS THAN REQUIRED FUEL. WE RETURNED TO GDL, REFUELED THE PROPER AMOUNT AND CONTINUED ON TO SFO WITHOUT EVENT.

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.

Air carrier large transport took off with less than required fuel. MEL requirement exaggerated the problem.