Narrative:

During the cockpit check, I noticed the wing tank fuel was 700 pounds out of balance. This is well within the acceptable range for the B757-767. When the fuel slip was delivered to the cockpit, I checked total fuel versus fuel on board versus fuel for dispatch and all matched. The fueler asked me if the fuel confign was ok. I replied that the imbalance was well within the aircraft limitations. After takeoff, during climb out the first officer handed me the limitations section of the operating manual and pointed out that our wing tanks were 1000 pounds less than full and that our center tank had more than the 2000 pounds limit for less than full wing tanks. I asked him why he had not pointed this out to me at the gate and he replied that he assumed I had noticed it. I had briefed this new first officer at the beginning of the month to always mention anything that he noticed that was questionable or not correct but he failed to do so. I suppose his new environment in this aircraft was part of the reason. I run a relaxed, but checklist oriented cockpit, so I don't believe he was intimidated by me. As to my failure to notice the fuel distribution, I was partially distracted by the fuel imbalance and very tired from a sleepless night caused by a very noisy hotel room. Otherwise, I have no excuse for not noticing this problem. I am terribly embarrassed by my failure to catch it. Upon reaching my home base, I briefed my chief pilot on the situation. I will, in the future, emphasize in my briefing to never fail to speak out when anything is in question.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL AVAILABILITY -- THE ACR DEPARTED WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL ON BOARD, HOWEVER THE FUEL WAS LOADED IMPROPERLY AND OUT OF STRUCTURAL LIMITS.

Narrative: DURING THE COCKPIT CHK, I NOTICED THE WING TANK FUEL WAS 700 LBS OUT OF BAL. THIS IS WELL WITHIN THE ACCEPTABLE RANGE FOR THE B757-767. WHEN THE FUEL SLIP WAS DELIVERED TO THE COCKPIT, I CHKED TOTAL FUEL VERSUS FUEL ON BOARD VERSUS FUEL FOR DISPATCH AND ALL MATCHED. THE FUELER ASKED ME IF THE FUEL CONFIGN WAS OK. I REPLIED THAT THE IMBALANCE WAS WELL WITHIN THE ACFT LIMITATIONS. AFTER TKOF, DURING CLBOUT THE FO HANDED ME THE LIMITATIONS SECTION OF THE OPERATING MANUAL AND POINTED OUT THAT OUR WING TANKS WERE 1000 LBS LESS THAN FULL AND THAT OUR CTR TANK HAD MORE THAN THE 2000 LBS LIMIT FOR LESS THAN FULL WING TANKS. I ASKED HIM WHY HE HAD NOT POINTED THIS OUT TO ME AT THE GATE AND HE REPLIED THAT HE ASSUMED I HAD NOTICED IT. I HAD BRIEFED THIS NEW FO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH TO ALWAYS MENTION ANYTHING THAT HE NOTICED THAT WAS QUESTIONABLE OR NOT CORRECT BUT HE FAILED TO DO SO. I SUPPOSE HIS NEW ENVIRONMENT IN THIS ACFT WAS PART OF THE REASON. I RUN A RELAXED, BUT CHKLIST ORIENTED COCKPIT, SO I DON'T BELIEVE HE WAS INTIMIDATED BY ME. AS TO MY FAILURE TO NOTICE THE FUEL DISTRIBUTION, I WAS PARTIALLY DISTRACTED BY THE FUEL IMBALANCE AND VERY TIRED FROM A SLEEPLESS NIGHT CAUSED BY A VERY NOISY HOTEL ROOM. OTHERWISE, I HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR NOT NOTICING THIS PROB. I AM TERRIBLY EMBARRASSED BY MY FAILURE TO CATCH IT. UPON REACHING MY HOME BASE, I BRIEFED MY CHIEF PLT ON THE SIT. I WILL, IN THE FUTURE, EMPHASIZE IN MY BRIEFING TO NEVER FAIL TO SPEAK OUT WHEN ANYTHING IS IN QUESTION.

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.