Narrative:

In sum: the flight crew arrived and preflted the B727 for a departure from mia. #3 fuel gauge was inoperative on the aircraft. After fuel was added, it was noted that there was a 378 gallon difference between fuel to be added and the actual fuel added. The allowable tolerance is 300 gallons. That 300 gallons equates to 1980 pounds. Since they were 78 gallons over that tolerance the captain asked for some form of verification of fuel load. After having drip sticked the #2 tank for a valid fuel quantity reading, maintenance personnel pumped all the fuel out of #3 tank to #2 tank. That verified that there was a fuel quantity discrepancy, but it was now not 378 gallons under, but 644 gallons under planned fuel release figures. That would have placed the aircraft over destination with 5746 pounds of fuel, not the planned fuel of 10046 pounds. The distribution of fuel in tanks #1 and #2 versus #3 (less than expected fuel in #3 tank) would have created a flame out of #3 engine 2800 pounds short of destination. In addition, at takeoff from mia the aircraft would have been 2715 pounds (411 gallons) out of lateral balance between tanks #2 and #3 when a 1000 pound tolerance is specified as maximum allowed. Captain's quote: '...I remain very concerned that there is a fuel truck out there not accurately calibrated and possibly putting other aircraft, crews and passenger in harm's way.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the captain stated that he has had no feedback from his company regarding this incident. His main concern was the fact that there may be other fuel trucks running around in the system as well as mia airport with that fuel meter reading discrepancy. He also feels that the 300 gallons tolerance limit of fuel required versus fuel added is too high. It should not exceed a figure of about 150 gallons (1000 pounds) the fuel imbalance tolerance limit on the B727. Reporter was advised that the liter to gallons procedure at yyz and the conversion tables is a company procedural problem, one that he said he would work on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CONCERNED PIC OF A B727 ACFT DISCOVERS A 644 GALLON FUELING ERROR ON HIS ACFT THAT WOULD AFFECT THE FUEL REQUIRED ON BOARD AND THE LATERAL BALANCE OF THE ACFT DURING TKOF AT MIA, FL.

Narrative: IN SUM: THE FLC ARRIVED AND PREFLTED THE B727 FOR A DEP FROM MIA. #3 FUEL GAUGE WAS INOP ON THE ACFT. AFTER FUEL WAS ADDED, IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WAS A 378 GALLON DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FUEL TO BE ADDED AND THE ACTUAL FUEL ADDED. THE ALLOWABLE TOLERANCE IS 300 GALLONS. THAT 300 GALLONS EQUATES TO 1980 POUNDS. SINCE THEY WERE 78 GALLONS OVER THAT TOLERANCE THE CAPT ASKED FOR SOME FORM OF VERIFICATION OF FUEL LOAD. AFTER HAVING DRIP STICKED THE #2 TANK FOR A VALID FUEL QUANTITY READING, MAINT PERSONNEL PUMPED ALL THE FUEL OUT OF #3 TANK TO #2 TANK. THAT VERIFIED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL QUANTITY DISCREPANCY, BUT IT WAS NOW NOT 378 GALLONS UNDER, BUT 644 GALLONS UNDER PLANNED FUEL RELEASE FIGURES. THAT WOULD HAVE PLACED THE ACFT OVER DEST WITH 5746 POUNDS OF FUEL, NOT THE PLANNED FUEL OF 10046 POUNDS. THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUEL IN TANKS #1 AND #2 VERSUS #3 (LESS THAN EXPECTED FUEL IN #3 TANK) WOULD HAVE CREATED A FLAME OUT OF #3 ENG 2800 POUNDS SHORT OF DEST. IN ADDITION, AT TKOF FROM MIA THE ACFT WOULD HAVE BEEN 2715 POUNDS (411 GALLONS) OUT OF LATERAL BALANCE BETWEEN TANKS #2 AND #3 WHEN A 1000 POUND TOLERANCE IS SPECIFIED AS MAXIMUM ALLOWED. CAPT'S QUOTE: '...I REMAIN VERY CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A FUEL TRUCK OUT THERE NOT ACCURATELY CALIBRATED AND POSSIBLY PUTTING OTHER ACFT, CREWS AND PAX IN HARM'S WAY.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT STATED THAT HE HAS HAD NO FEEDBACK FROM HIS COMPANY REGARDING THIS INCIDENT. HIS MAIN CONCERN WAS THE FACT THAT THERE MAY BE OTHER FUEL TRUCKS RUNNING AROUND IN THE SYS AS WELL AS MIA ARPT WITH THAT FUEL METER READING DISCREPANCY. HE ALSO FEELS THAT THE 300 GALLONS TOLERANCE LIMIT OF FUEL REQUIRED VERSUS FUEL ADDED IS TOO HIGH. IT SHOULD NOT EXCEED A FIGURE OF ABOUT 150 GALLONS (1000 POUNDS) THE FUEL IMBALANCE TOLERANCE LIMIT ON THE B727. RPTR WAS ADVISED THAT THE LITER TO GALLONS PROC AT YYZ AND THE CONVERSION TABLES IS A COMPANY PROCEDURAL PROB, ONE THAT HE SAID HE WOULD WORK ON.

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.