Flight crew of air carrier widebody transport aircraft declared a min fuel emergency.

Attributes
ACN	226837
Time
Date	199211
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ink
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 13000
ASRS Report	226837
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	226821
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight phx to dfw. Departed phx with 50400 pounds fuel equally distributed between #1, #2, and #3 tanks -- 16800 pounds each. First, several chkpoints showed #2 fuel quantity indicating 3500-4500 pounds below #1 and #3 and maintaining this differential. Suspected faulty indicator. About 40 mins into flight, #2 quantity began to decrease to 0. Low power fuel lights illuminated and N1 fluctuated. Fuel transferred from #1 and #3 to #2. Engine left at idle with suspicion of #2 fuel leak quantity indications appeared stable and landing made at dfw with 13200 pounds on board (about 10000 pounds below projection). Maintenance revealed a #2 fuel quantity indicator sticking and probable 10000 ft under fuel at phx departure. Carrier recently discontinued issuance of fuel slips on aircraft departures. Cockpit crews need a system to verify fuel on board to check quantity indications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR WDB ACFT DECLARED A MIN FUEL EMER.

Narrative: FLT PHX TO DFW. DEPARTED PHX WITH 50400 POUNDS FUEL EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED BTWN #1, #2, AND #3 TANKS -- 16800 POUNDS EACH. FIRST, SEVERAL CHKPOINTS SHOWED #2 FUEL QUANTITY INDICATING 3500-4500 POUNDS BELOW #1 AND #3 AND MAINTAINING THIS DIFFERENTIAL. SUSPECTED FAULTY INDICATOR. ABOUT 40 MINS INTO FLT, #2 QUANTITY BEGAN TO DECREASE TO 0. LOW PWR FUEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND N1 FLUCTUATED. FUEL TRANSFERRED FROM #1 AND #3 TO #2. ENG LEFT AT IDLE WITH SUSPICION OF #2 FUEL LEAK QUANTITY INDICATIONS APPEARED STABLE AND LNDG MADE AT DFW WITH 13200 POUNDS ON BOARD (ABOUT 10000 POUNDS BELOW PROJECTION). MAINT REVEALED A #2 FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR STICKING AND PROBABLE 10000 FT UNDER FUEL AT PHX DEP. CARRIER RECENTLY DISCONTINUED ISSUANCE OF FUEL SLIPS ON ACFT DEPS. COCKPIT CREWS NEED A SYS TO VERIFY FUEL ON BOARD TO CHK QUANTITY INDICATIONS.

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.