Narrative:

Fueler miscom with captain on fuel amount. Captain gave fuel order using sign (3 fingers sideways) which fueler understood as 30 gallons instead of standard 80 gallons. Captain checked the fuel gauges which read 2000 pounds. After takeoff, captain noticed fuel read less than normal. Flight returned to the airport. Both the captain and myself (first officer) followed standard procedures. Before start checklist, which is a captain only checklist, includes a fuel check which was performed by the captain. By reading the fuel quantity gauges too soon after fueling, the reading was incorrect because the gauges did not have enough time to settle. Also, the fueler should have been familiar with the signs and the captain should have verified the fueler understood correctly. I suggest that a fuel check item be included in the checklist before takeoff or before taxi. Often, in commuter operations, the time limitations are too short so the fuel is added at the last min. A second fuel check would help avoid such incidents. Orders in writing or oral should be given to the fuelers to avoid confusion. Even though there was sufficient fuel to complete the flight, I agreed with the captain to return to the airport and refuel. Supplemental information from acn 403648: my expectation that fuel load would be correct, ie, I had seen the fuel loaded and assumed that it would be correct so I would be less likely to question the amount indicated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE02 FLC DEPARTS ARPT WITH LESS FUEL THAN REQUIRED. AIRLINE FUELING PROC ALLOWS HAND SIGNALS FROM CAPT TO FUELER FOR AMOUNT OF FUEL TO BE PLACED ON BOARD. FLT RETURNS TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: FUELER MISCOM WITH CAPT ON FUEL AMOUNT. CAPT GAVE FUEL ORDER USING SIGN (3 FINGERS SIDEWAYS) WHICH FUELER UNDERSTOOD AS 30 GALLONS INSTEAD OF STANDARD 80 GALLONS. CAPT CHKED THE FUEL GAUGES WHICH READ 2000 LBS. AFTER TKOF, CAPT NOTICED FUEL READ LESS THAN NORMAL. FLT RETURNED TO THE ARPT. BOTH THE CAPT AND MYSELF (FO) FOLLOWED STANDARD PROCS. BEFORE START CHKLIST, WHICH IS A CAPT ONLY CHKLIST, INCLUDES A FUEL CHK WHICH WAS PERFORMED BY THE CAPT. BY READING THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES TOO SOON AFTER FUELING, THE READING WAS INCORRECT BECAUSE THE GAUGES DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SETTLE. ALSO, THE FUELER SHOULD HAVE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH THE SIGNS AND THE CAPT SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED THE FUELER UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY. I SUGGEST THAT A FUEL CHK ITEM BE INCLUDED IN THE CHKLIST BEFORE TKOF OR BEFORE TAXI. OFTEN, IN COMMUTER OPS, THE TIME LIMITATIONS ARE TOO SHORT SO THE FUEL IS ADDED AT THE LAST MIN. A SECOND FUEL CHK WOULD HELP AVOID SUCH INCIDENTS. ORDERS IN WRITING OR ORAL SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE FUELERS TO AVOID CONFUSION. EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLT, I AGREED WITH THE CAPT TO RETURN TO THE ARPT AND REFUEL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 403648: MY EXPECTATION THAT FUEL LOAD WOULD BE CORRECT, IE, I HAD SEEN THE FUEL LOADED AND ASSUMED THAT IT WOULD BE CORRECT SO I WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO QUESTION THE AMOUNT INDICATED.

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.