Air carrier medium large transport departs airport with less than dispatch required fuel.

Attributes
ACN	205512
Time
Date	199203
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pvd
State Reference	RI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	205512
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departing pvd on flight xyz on mar/fri/92 we were advised by our dispatch that our release had been amended 45 mins prior to departure and that our alternate was changed from lan to pit and min fuel increased by 1000 pounds. We were not informed of this new release by pvd ground personnel and had no knowledge of its existence. Fob was 18.6 and fuel mins were 18.2 to fob. I entered 18.6 into ACARS and we proceeded with the flight. When the weight tab came up via ACARS I compared the figures and all appeared in order. However, after checking it later, after the dispatcher call, the departure fuel read 18.8 rather than 18.2 as it should have, not taking into account 400 pounds off for taxi. This discrepancy was the only indication that a changed release, increasing the fuel, was in existence. An oversight on our part with similar numbers on a computer screen, but the ball dropped earlier by dispatch, he should have talked to the captain personally. Pvd operations and an ACARS system that doesn't use the crew's fuel input to change the weight tab nor highlight changes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DEPARTS ARPT WITH LESS THAN DISPATCH REQUIRED FUEL.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING PVD ON FLT XYZ ON MAR/FRI/92 WE WERE ADVISED BY OUR DISPATCH THAT OUR RELEASE HAD BEEN AMENDED 45 MINS PRIOR TO DEP AND THAT OUR ALTERNATE WAS CHANGED FROM LAN TO PIT AND MIN FUEL INCREASED BY 1000 POUNDS. WE WERE NOT INFORMED OF THIS NEW RELEASE BY PVD GND PERSONNEL AND HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF ITS EXISTENCE. FOB WAS 18.6 AND FUEL MINS WERE 18.2 TO FOB. I ENTERED 18.6 INTO ACARS AND WE PROCEEDED WITH THE FLT. WHEN THE WT TAB CAME UP VIA ACARS I COMPARED THE FIGURES AND ALL APPEARED IN ORDER. HOWEVER, AFTER CHKING IT LATER, AFTER THE DISPATCHER CALL, THE DEP FUEL READ 18.8 RATHER THAN 18.2 AS IT SHOULD HAVE, NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT 400 POUNDS OFF FOR TAXI. THIS DISCREPANCY WAS THE ONLY INDICATION THAT A CHANGED RELEASE, INCREASING THE FUEL, WAS IN EXISTENCE. AN OVERSIGHT ON OUR PART WITH SIMILAR NUMBERS ON A COMPUTER SCREEN, BUT THE BALL DROPPED EARLIER BY DISPATCH, HE SHOULD HAVE TALKED TO THE CAPT PERSONALLY. PVD OPS AND AN ACARS SYS THAT DOESN'T USE THE CREW'S FUEL INPUT TO CHANGE THE WT TAB NOR HIGHLIGHT CHANGES.

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.