Narrative:

Aircraft was B727-200. Tank #3 fuel quantity indicator was inoperative, properly documented in logbook. Scheduled to depart with a fuel load of tank #1 - 10,200 pounds, tank #2 - 10100 pounds, tank #3 - 10200 pounds. Paperwork showed actual load of 10500/10300/10200 pounds. To determine quantity in tank #3 procedures required fueler to empty tank completely, then pump a known quantity into tank from either fuel truck or other tanks. Fueling paperwork and fueler agent indicated this procedure was accomplished. On takeoff, aircraft rolled to the left, requiring approximately 30 degree right yoke and 1 degree right aileron, 1 degree right rudder to maintain near wings-level flight. Spoke to company dispatcher about suggested fuel imbalance. As fuel was burned off, less yoke displacement was required. Chose to divert to atlanta (scheduled jfk-west palm beach, fl). After landing, it was confirmed that tank #3 was improperly refueled, took off with approximately 5000 pounds in #1 and #3. Aircraft limit is 1000 pounds imbalance. This problem was caused by improperly trained (my opinion) fuelers. My company was 'downsized' and 'outside work,' ie, gutted our operations in the past 2 yrs. 15-25 yrs veterans have been replaced with minimum wage, untrained, and apathetic committed employees. My incident is not an isolated incident. Normal operations used to dripstick tanks, but since fuelers were botching that, a change was made to empty tank, then add a known quantity. My biggest gripe is that the paperwork showed proper fueling, yet we were short approximately 5000 pounds, not good. Today I had another imbalance, tank #2 indicator was inoperative, caught prior to takeoff due to review of fuel sheet. Fuelers showed us 7000 pounds in tank #2, yet the sheet showed proper amount loaded. Notice a trend? Unsafe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B727-100 TOOK OFF WITH AN UNBALANCED FUEL LOAD CAUSED BY AN ERRONEOUS FUEL LOAD.

Narrative: ACFT WAS B727-200. TANK #3 FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR WAS INOP, PROPERLY DOCUMENTED IN LOGBOOK. SCHEDULED TO DEPART WITH A FUEL LOAD OF TANK #1 - 10,200 LBS, TANK #2 - 10100 LBS, TANK #3 - 10200 LBS. PAPERWORK SHOWED ACTUAL LOAD OF 10500/10300/10200 LBS. TO DETERMINE QUANTITY IN TANK #3 PROCS REQUIRED FUELER TO EMPTY TANK COMPLETELY, THEN PUMP A KNOWN QUANTITY INTO TANK FROM EITHER FUEL TRUCK OR OTHER TANKS. FUELING PAPERWORK AND FUELER AGENT INDICATED THIS PROC WAS ACCOMPLISHED. ON TKOF, ACFT ROLLED TO THE L, REQUIRING APPROX 30 DEG R YOKE AND 1 DEG R AILERON, 1 DEG R RUDDER TO MAINTAIN NEAR WINGS-LEVEL FLT. SPOKE TO COMPANY DISPATCHER ABOUT SUGGESTED FUEL IMBALANCE. AS FUEL WAS BURNED OFF, LESS YOKE DISPLACEMENT WAS REQUIRED. CHOSE TO DIVERT TO ATLANTA (SCHEDULED JFK-WEST PALM BEACH, FL). AFTER LNDG, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT TANK #3 WAS IMPROPERLY REFUELED, TOOK OFF WITH APPROX 5000 LBS IN #1 AND #3. ACFT LIMIT IS 1000 LBS IMBALANCE. THIS PROB WAS CAUSED BY IMPROPERLY TRAINED (MY OPINION) FUELERS. MY COMPANY WAS 'DOWNSIZED' AND 'OUTSIDE WORK,' IE, GUTTED OUR OPS IN THE PAST 2 YRS. 15-25 YRS VETERANS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH MINIMUM WAGE, UNTRAINED, AND APATHETIC COMMITTED EMPLOYEES. MY INCIDENT IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. NORMAL OPS USED TO DRIPSTICK TANKS, BUT SINCE FUELERS WERE BOTCHING THAT, A CHANGE WAS MADE TO EMPTY TANK, THEN ADD A KNOWN QUANTITY. MY BIGGEST GRIPE IS THAT THE PAPERWORK SHOWED PROPER FUELING, YET WE WERE SHORT APPROX 5000 LBS, NOT GOOD. TODAY I HAD ANOTHER IMBALANCE, TANK #2 INDICATOR WAS INOP, CAUGHT PRIOR TO TKOF DUE TO REVIEW OF FUEL SHEET. FUELERS SHOWED US 7000 LBS IN TANK #2, YET THE SHEET SHOWED PROPER AMOUNT LOADED. NOTICE A TREND? UNSAFE.

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.