Narrative:

The inbound crew advised operations that the aircraft had an inoperative fuel gauge and was operating on an MEL signed off. Crew was told to fuel the aircraft. Normal procedure would indicate that the outboard main tanks would be topped for a total of 3200 pounds of fuel. The crew then requested that all 4 tanks (2 main, 2 auxiliary) to be filled resulting in approximately 4400 pounds of fuel on board. The receiving crew had requested 2400 pounds of fuel to insure that the aircraft would be below maximum takeoff weight. 0 fuel maximum weight 14000 pounds 2400 fuel 16400 takeoff weight. This fuel load was requested due to IFR fuel considerations and the short duration of the first leg estimated fuel burn 400-500 pounds 16400 maximum tow, 400 pounds fuel resulting in a 16000 landing weight. Maximum landing weight 16100. Actual 0 fuel weight was 12344 which added to the assumed fuel of 3200 pounds would result in a maximum takeoff weight of 15544. With 4400 pounds of fuel the actual taxi weight would have been 16744. 144 pounds above maximum takeoff weight. The receiving crew started one engine then experienced an annunciator light failure, called a mechanic and shut down the engine for repair. Engines were started the second time our taxi was begun for runway 1L at mci. During the taxi, the capts HSI did not erect as it was cold soaked. Crew taxied back to the gate. Before shutting down the engine, the HSI erected and a second taxi to 1L was commenced. By takeoff approximately 150 pounds of fuel had been consumed giving an actual takeoff weight of 16594. During the 30 min flight to mkh, approximately 500 pounds of fuel was consumed, resulting in a weight (16094) below maximum landing weight of 16100. Crew was operating at an assumed landing weight of 15044. The mechanical and return to the gate was the only reason for a takeoff below maximum allowed takeoff weight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR LTT ACFT CONCERNED THAT THEY OPERATED ACFT OVER MAX TKOF AND LNDG WT.

Narrative: THE INBOUND CREW ADVISED OPS THAT THE ACFT HAD AN INOP FUEL GAUGE AND WAS OPERATING ON AN MEL SIGNED OFF. CREW WAS TOLD TO FUEL THE ACFT. NORMAL PROC WOULD INDICATE THAT THE OUTBOARD MAIN TANKS WOULD BE TOPPED FOR A TOTAL OF 3200 POUNDS OF FUEL. THE CREW THEN REQUESTED THAT ALL 4 TANKS (2 MAIN, 2 AUX) TO BE FILLED RESULTING IN APPROX 4400 POUNDS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE RECEIVING CREW HAD REQUESTED 2400 POUNDS OF FUEL TO INSURE THAT THE ACFT WOULD BE BELOW MAX TKOF WT. 0 FUEL MAX WT 14000 POUNDS 2400 FUEL 16400 TKOF WT. THIS FUEL LOAD WAS REQUESTED DUE TO IFR FUEL CONSIDERATIONS AND THE SHORT DURATION OF THE FIRST LEG ESTIMATED FUEL BURN 400-500 POUNDS 16400 MAX TOW, 400 POUNDS FUEL RESULTING IN A 16000 LNDG WT. MAX LNDG WT 16100. ACTUAL 0 FUEL WT WAS 12344 WHICH ADDED TO THE ASSUMED FUEL OF 3200 POUNDS WOULD RESULT IN A MAX TKOF WT OF 15544. WITH 4400 POUNDS OF FUEL THE ACTUAL TAXI WT WOULD HAVE BEEN 16744. 144 POUNDS ABOVE MAX TKOF WT. THE RECEIVING CREW STARTED ONE ENG THEN EXPERIENCED AN ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT FAILURE, CALLED A MECH AND SHUT DOWN THE ENG FOR REPAIR. ENGS WERE STARTED THE SECOND TIME OUR TAXI WAS BEGUN FOR RWY 1L AT MCI. DURING THE TAXI, THE CAPTS HSI DID NOT ERECT AS IT WAS COLD SOAKED. CREW TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE. BEFORE SHUTTING DOWN THE ENG, THE HSI ERECTED AND A SECOND TAXI TO 1L WAS COMMENCED. BY TKOF APPROX 150 POUNDS OF FUEL HAD BEEN CONSUMED GIVING AN ACTUAL TKOF WT OF 16594. DURING THE 30 MIN FLT TO MKH, APPROX 500 POUNDS OF FUEL WAS CONSUMED, RESULTING IN A WT (16094) BELOW MAX LNDG WT OF 16100. CREW WAS OPERATING AT AN ASSUMED LNDG WT OF 15044. THE MECHANICAL AND RETURN TO THE GATE WAS THE ONLY REASON FOR A TKOF BELOW MAX ALLOWED TKOF WT.

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.