Narrative:

ATR-72 left fuel gauge deferred inoperative. Lanst (flight) of day. Manual calls for tanks to be drip sticked and readings to be compared on a chart to determine actual fuel load. First officer read the sticks while up on a ladder. I watched from ground -- I could see the indications. Outer stick read between zero and 1. If it read zero, a different chart would be used but first officer swore (and I could see) that it read between zero and 1 so we used appropriate chart. Also, during single point fueling, fueler valve open light didn't come on. I did not, incredibly stupidly, compare what was uploaded with what we should have had. But before takeoff, about (at least) 4 times we verified what we thought was the outer stick reading with the chart. We thought that we had the proper fuel load. Wrong! After departure, the left fuel gauge started working (not unusual for these airplanes) and it showed a very low amount in #1 tank -- about 1 hour's worth. Flight time is 1.5 and we had plenty in tank #2 so we continued the flight. Crossed from tank 2, not really sure if #1 gauge was accurate or not (we knew #2 gauge was accurate). Landed with 1200 pounds which equates to approximately 45 mins fuel when you burn at 1500 pounds per hour. Total fuel burn. Mistakes made: #1, when left refueler valve did not indicate open I should have investigated further. Fueler said that this happens frequently so I took him at his word -- should have challenged it. #2, should have compared uplifted fuel with what we should have uplifted! #3, should round dripstick readings down because they're so inaccurate. I feel like an idiot. My first officer feels worse. If it's any consolation to me, and it's not, I discussed this last night with a good friend who flies atrs. This has happened, apparently, to lots of people, and many have landed with a lot less fuel (ie, the low fuel lever lights on, which come on at 352 pounds). But I'm the captain and I should have known better. I can tell you that if I don't get fired by the company (I don't think they found out. We sure as hell didn't tell them!) and if I ever get an inoperative fuel gauge again, I'm gonna make damn certain that the proper fuel load is on board before the start switch is touched, let me tell you!

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMPROPER FUEL LOAD DUE TO INACCURATE 'DRIP STICK' MEASUREMENT THAT WAS REQUIRED BECAUSE OF AN INOP FUEL GAUGE.

Narrative: ATR-72 L FUEL GAUGE DEFERRED INOP. LANST (FLT) OF DAY. MANUAL CALLS FOR TANKS TO BE DRIP STICKED AND READINGS TO BE COMPARED ON A CHART TO DETERMINE ACTUAL FUEL LOAD. FO READ THE STICKS WHILE UP ON A LADDER. I WATCHED FROM GND -- I COULD SEE THE INDICATIONS. OUTER STICK READ BTWN ZERO AND 1. IF IT READ ZERO, A DIFFERENT CHART WOULD BE USED BUT FO SWORE (AND I COULD SEE) THAT IT READ BTWN ZERO AND 1 SO WE USED APPROPRIATE CHART. ALSO, DURING SINGLE POINT FUELING, FUELER VALVE OPEN LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON. I DID NOT, INCREDIBLY STUPIDLY, COMPARE WHAT WAS UPLOADED WITH WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE HAD. BUT BEFORE TKOF, ABOUT (AT LEAST) 4 TIMES WE VERIFIED WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS THE OUTER STICK READING WITH THE CHART. WE THOUGHT THAT WE HAD THE PROPER FUEL LOAD. WRONG! AFTER DEP, THE L FUEL GAUGE STARTED WORKING (NOT UNUSUAL FOR THESE AIRPLANES) AND IT SHOWED A VERY LOW AMOUNT IN #1 TANK -- ABOUT 1 HR'S WORTH. FLT TIME IS 1.5 AND WE HAD PLENTY IN TANK #2 SO WE CONTINUED THE FLT. CROSSED FROM TANK 2, NOT REALLY SURE IF #1 GAUGE WAS ACCURATE OR NOT (WE KNEW #2 GAUGE WAS ACCURATE). LANDED WITH 1200 LBS WHICH EQUATES TO APPROX 45 MINS FUEL WHEN YOU BURN AT 1500 LBS PER HR. TOTAL FUEL BURN. MISTAKES MADE: #1, WHEN L REFUELER VALVE DID NOT INDICATE OPEN I SHOULD HAVE INVESTIGATED FURTHER. FUELER SAID THAT THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY SO I TOOK HIM AT HIS WORD -- SHOULD HAVE CHALLENGED IT. #2, SHOULD HAVE COMPARED UPLIFTED FUEL WITH WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE UPLIFTED! #3, SHOULD ROUND DRIPSTICK READINGS DOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE SO INACCURATE. I FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT. MY FO FEELS WORSE. IF IT'S ANY CONSOLATION TO ME, AND IT'S NOT, I DISCUSSED THIS LAST NIGHT WITH A GOOD FRIEND WHO FLIES ATRS. THIS HAS HAPPENED, APPARENTLY, TO LOTS OF PEOPLE, AND MANY HAVE LANDED WITH A LOT LESS FUEL (IE, THE LOW FUEL LEVER LIGHTS ON, WHICH COME ON AT 352 LBS). BUT I'M THE CAPT AND I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER. I CAN TELL YOU THAT IF I DON'T GET FIRED BY THE COMPANY (I DON'T THINK THEY FOUND OUT. WE SURE AS HELL DIDN'T TELL THEM!) AND IF I EVER GET AN INOP FUEL GAUGE AGAIN, I'M GONNA MAKE DAMN CERTAIN THAT THE PROPER FUEL LOAD IS ON BOARD BEFORE THE START SWITCH IS TOUCHED, LET ME TELL YOU!

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.