A B737-200 crew, climbing faster than normal, realized they did not have the required amount of fuel...

Attributes
ACN	547004
Time
Date	200205
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hnl.airport
State Reference	HI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	547004
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On the ground getting ready to depart hnl-koa, flight #abc, in aircraft X. We ran the checklist as normal and departed. About 4 mins into the flight, I noticed the aircraft was climbing faster than normal. Upon telling that to the captain, I glanced at the fuel gauges and noticed that we had approximately 8000 pounds of fuel. The minimum fuel required for our flight plan was 10100 pounds. Realizing that we did not have adequate fuel, we turned around and proceeded to land at hnl without incident. On the ground, we were fueled and we departed. I believe the contributing factor is that in using the before start checklist, we did not notice we did not have adequate fuel and we were complacent in our checklist usage. We did, however, in my opinion make the correct and safe decision by returning to hnl and not continuing to koa without enough fuel to hold, missed approach among other contingencies. I will be much more diligent in the future to check the fuel load against our flight plan to make sure it matches.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 CREW, CLBING FASTER THAN NORMAL, REALIZED THEY DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD.

Narrative: ON THE GND GETTING READY TO DEPART HNL-KOA, FLT #ABC, IN ACFT X. WE RAN THE CHKLIST AS NORMAL AND DEPARTED. ABOUT 4 MINS INTO THE FLT, I NOTICED THE ACFT WAS CLBING FASTER THAN NORMAL. UPON TELLING THAT TO THE CAPT, I GLANCED AT THE FUEL GAUGES AND NOTICED THAT WE HAD APPROX 8000 LBS OF FUEL. THE MINIMUM FUEL REQUIRED FOR OUR FLT PLAN WAS 10100 LBS. REALIZING THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ADEQUATE FUEL, WE TURNED AROUND AND PROCEEDED TO LAND AT HNL WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON THE GND, WE WERE FUELED AND WE DEPARTED. I BELIEVE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THAT IN USING THE BEFORE START CHKLIST, WE DID NOT NOTICE WE DID NOT HAVE ADEQUATE FUEL AND WE WERE COMPLACENT IN OUR CHKLIST USAGE. WE DID, HOWEVER, IN MY OPINION MAKE THE CORRECT AND SAFE DECISION BY RETURNING TO HNL AND NOT CONTINUING TO KOA WITHOUT ENOUGH FUEL TO HOLD, MISSED APCH AMONG OTHER CONTINGENCIES. I WILL BE MUCH MORE DILIGENT IN THE FUTURE TO CHK THE FUEL LOAD AGAINST OUR FLT PLAN TO MAKE SURE IT MATCHES.

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.

A B737-200 crew, climbing faster than normal, realized they did not have the required amount of fuel on board.