Narrative:

Flight crew reported for duty and placed a fuel order for 205 gals per side (410 gals total) of jet a and prist. PIC asked if aircraft had been fueled and was told that it had. PIC paid for fuel; took receipt; and waited for passenger. Later; sic informed PIC that preflight was finished and the aircraft was ready for the takeoff and return to ZZZ. Aircraft was started and taxied for a takeoff at XA16 with all checklist completed with an uneventful taxi; takeoff; departure; and intermediate leveloff at FL230. Approximately XA26; PIC noticed that both fuel gauges read approximately 650 pounds per side (1300 pounds total). PIC asked sic if he had ever seen the 4400 pounds fuel load on board or fuel dispensed. With a negative answer; PIC told sic to declare an emergency with center; ask for vectors to nearest airport; and an immediate descent. PIC reduced power to flight idle and did a descent into ZZZ1 to intercept the ILS xx to a full stop landing at XA45 and shutdown at XA47 with approximately 500 pounds per side (1000 pounds total). Approximately XB00; PIC called FBO and determined that fuel had never been dispensed. PIC notified company; had aircraft fueled; and flew back to ZZZ. PIC felt rushed with an unfamiliar taxi; late takeoff; and busy departure procedures for runway xx to avoid class B airspace but was confident that the aircraft was fueled and ready. PIC broke his habit pattern of visually confirming all checklist items; even sic items. PIC discovered the problem when the workload decreased at the first leveloff. PIC will return to a pattern of rechking all checklist items and has asked company to add 'fuel' to pretkof checks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CE560 FLT CREW DOES NOT CHECK FUEL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND DISCOVERS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN REFUELED AT FL230. EMERGENCY IS DECLARED WITH LANDING AT NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT.

Narrative: FLT CREW RPTED FOR DUTY AND PLACED A FUEL ORDER FOR 205 GALS PER SIDE (410 GALS TOTAL) OF JET A AND PRIST. PIC ASKED IF ACFT HAD BEEN FUELED AND WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD. PIC PAID FOR FUEL; TOOK RECEIPT; AND WAITED FOR PAX. LATER; SIC INFORMED PIC THAT PREFLT WAS FINISHED AND THE ACFT WAS READY FOR THE TKOF AND RETURN TO ZZZ. ACFT WAS STARTED AND TAXIED FOR A TKOF AT XA16 WITH ALL CHKLIST COMPLETED WITH AN UNEVENTFUL TAXI; TKOF; DEP; AND INTERMEDIATE LEVELOFF AT FL230. APPROX XA26; PIC NOTICED THAT BOTH FUEL GAUGES READ APPROX 650 LBS PER SIDE (1300 LBS TOTAL). PIC ASKED SIC IF HE HAD EVER SEEN THE 4400 LBS FUEL LOAD ON BOARD OR FUEL DISPENSED. WITH A NEGATIVE ANSWER; PIC TOLD SIC TO DECLARE AN EMER WITH CTR; ASK FOR VECTORS TO NEAREST ARPT; AND AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. PIC REDUCED PWR TO FLT IDLE AND DID A DSCNT INTO ZZZ1 TO INTERCEPT THE ILS XX TO A FULL STOP LNDG AT XA45 AND SHUTDOWN AT XA47 WITH APPROX 500 LBS PER SIDE (1000 LBS TOTAL). APPROX XB00; PIC CALLED FBO AND DETERMINED THAT FUEL HAD NEVER BEEN DISPENSED. PIC NOTIFIED COMPANY; HAD ACFT FUELED; AND FLEW BACK TO ZZZ. PIC FELT RUSHED WITH AN UNFAMILIAR TAXI; LATE TKOF; AND BUSY DEP PROCS FOR RWY XX TO AVOID CLASS B AIRSPACE BUT WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE ACFT WAS FUELED AND READY. PIC BROKE HIS HABIT PATTERN OF VISUALLY CONFIRMING ALL CHKLIST ITEMS; EVEN SIC ITEMS. PIC DISCOVERED THE PROB WHEN THE WORKLOAD DECREASED AT THE FIRST LEVELOFF. PIC WILL RETURN TO A PATTERN OF RECHKING ALL CHKLIST ITEMS AND HAS ASKED COMPANY TO ADD 'FUEL' TO PRETKOF CHKS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.