Narrative:

As prologue, the captain involved, and I, had been flying together repeatedly in recent weeks. We had often discussed our mutual preference for minimum dispatch fuel, when prudent on hot days, for performance reasons. Our company encourages us to tanker fuel to save fuel costs. On aug/xx/96, I was so aboard flight xx lga-bos. Following my preflight inspection, I noticed we had been fueled to 21000 pounds which is a very common minimum fuel figure under these conditions (ie, hot, hazy, no thunderstorms present or forecast). The captain entered the cockpit shortly thereafter and, I believe, acknowledged our qty of fuel on board along with a conversation he had with the dispatcher requesting a lower minimum fuel. (As a side note, he later stated that the dispatcher was ending his shift and had expressed eagerness to go home.) we completed the checklist which included all 3 crew members acknowledging our fuel on board as being 21000 pounds. At this point, I incorrectly assumed that the release stated a minimum of no less than 21000 pounds. I checked the WX again and the fuel burn but not the actual release. During descent into bos, we held briefly (10-15 mins) at pvd and then began vectors to the ILS runway 4R at bos. I advised the crew that the ATIS warned of 'windshear and microburst advisories in effect.' the captain then queried approach control about these advisories. We were advised of a thunderstorm on the runway 4L final approach course with PIREPS of airspeed fluctuations plus or minus 20 KTS. We requested delaying vectors to coordinate with our dispatchers. At this point, our fuel was approximately 13500 pounds and, after consultation, we diverted to pvd, landed with 12000 pounds, refueled and returned to bos uneventfully. Upon arrival in bos, our base chief pilot advised us, in a debriefing, that our minimum dispatch fuel from lga was 22200 pounds and no amended release had ever been generated or signed to permit departure with 21000 pounds. To prevent a recurrence of this incident, I would recommend revising our operating manual to require all 3 crew members to read the release (or its amendment) and respond during the checklist as follows: 1) challenge fuel, and 2) response: qty on board, minimum release qty.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DEPARTS FOR DEST ARPT WITHOUT FUEL REQUIRED AS REFLECTED IN THE DISPATCH RELEASE PAPERS.

Narrative: AS PROLOGUE, THE CAPT INVOLVED, AND I, HAD BEEN FLYING TOGETHER REPEATEDLY IN RECENT WKS. WE HAD OFTEN DISCUSSED OUR MUTUAL PREFERENCE FOR MINIMUM DISPATCH FUEL, WHEN PRUDENT ON HOT DAYS, FOR PERFORMANCE REASONS. OUR COMPANY ENCOURAGES US TO TANKER FUEL TO SAVE FUEL COSTS. ON AUG/XX/96, I WAS SO ABOARD FLT XX LGA-BOS. FOLLOWING MY PREFLT INSPECTION, I NOTICED WE HAD BEEN FUELED TO 21000 LBS WHICH IS A VERY COMMON MINIMUM FUEL FIGURE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS (IE, HOT, HAZY, NO TSTMS PRESENT OR FORECAST). THE CAPT ENTERED THE COCKPIT SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND, I BELIEVE, ACKNOWLEDGED OUR QTY OF FUEL ON BOARD ALONG WITH A CONVERSATION HE HAD WITH THE DISPATCHER REQUESTING A LOWER MINIMUM FUEL. (AS A SIDE NOTE, HE LATER STATED THAT THE DISPATCHER WAS ENDING HIS SHIFT AND HAD EXPRESSED EAGERNESS TO GO HOME.) WE COMPLETED THE CHKLIST WHICH INCLUDED ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS ACKNOWLEDGING OUR FUEL ON BOARD AS BEING 21000 LBS. AT THIS POINT, I INCORRECTLY ASSUMED THAT THE RELEASE STATED A MINIMUM OF NO LESS THAN 21000 LBS. I CHKED THE WX AGAIN AND THE FUEL BURN BUT NOT THE ACTUAL RELEASE. DURING DSCNT INTO BOS, WE HELD BRIEFLY (10-15 MINS) AT PVD AND THEN BEGAN VECTORS TO THE ILS RWY 4R AT BOS. I ADVISED THE CREW THAT THE ATIS WARNED OF 'WINDSHEAR AND MICROBURST ADVISORIES IN EFFECT.' THE CAPT THEN QUERIED APCH CTL ABOUT THESE ADVISORIES. WE WERE ADVISED OF A TSTM ON THE RWY 4L FINAL APCH COURSE WITH PIREPS OF AIRSPD FLUCTUATIONS PLUS OR MINUS 20 KTS. WE REQUESTED DELAYING VECTORS TO COORDINATE WITH OUR DISPATCHERS. AT THIS POINT, OUR FUEL WAS APPROX 13500 LBS AND, AFTER CONSULTATION, WE DIVERTED TO PVD, LANDED WITH 12000 LBS, REFUELED AND RETURNED TO BOS UNEVENTFULLY. UPON ARR IN BOS, OUR BASE CHIEF PLT ADVISED US, IN A DEBRIEFING, THAT OUR MINIMUM DISPATCH FUEL FROM LGA WAS 22200 LBS AND NO AMENDED RELEASE HAD EVER BEEN GENERATED OR SIGNED TO PERMIT DEP WITH 21000 LBS. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THIS INCIDENT, I WOULD RECOMMEND REVISING OUR OPERATING MANUAL TO REQUIRE ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS TO READ THE RELEASE (OR ITS AMENDMENT) AND RESPOND DURING THE CHKLIST AS FOLLOWS: 1) CHALLENGE FUEL, AND 2) RESPONSE: QTY ON BOARD, MINIMUM RELEASE QTY.

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.