Narrative:

Fueling MEL issue. Aircraft had MEL: main fuel tank indicator inoperative. The MEL maintenance procedure reads 'associated main tank fuel quantity is determined using procedures outlined in air carrier fuel manual.' I contacted maintenance and a mechanic came to the flight deck. I asked him for a clarification of these procedures so I could ensure; as the captain; that the proper fuel was on board. He said maintenance had no duties in regard to this MEL. He contacted the lead mechanic and received the same information. I called my dispatcher and was patched into maintenance control. Maintenance control said he was not familiar with inoperative fuel gauge procedures and this was handled by local fuelers. The completed normal fuel slip was delivered to the flight deck. There was no notation of MEL procedures being followed. The MEL needs to be updated to describe exactly who is responsible for fuel gauge inoperative procedures and exactly what forms need to be provided to the flight crew to ensure that the proper amount of fuel is on board the aircraft prior to flight. It is of note that the non-compliance with MEL fuel gauge inoperative procedures was not discovered until the final safety barrier; the flight crew. I then called the fueling supervisor to the flight deck. He stated that the fueler had missed the MEL notation on the fuel slip and that he would complete the MEL requirements. He completed the magna stick/drip stick form and delivered it to the flight deck. Although there is a maintenance procedure section in the MEL; I received no support in determining if my flight had the correct fuel load from maintenance or maintenance control. Air carrier should review the fuel gauge inoperative procedures to ensure there are sufficient number of barriers in place to ensure the correct amount of fuel required is on the aircraft. If there are questions on the proper amount of fuel on board; the flight crew must be able to rely on maintenance for support.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 REPORTS CONFUSION OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHECKING FUEL ON BOARD WITH INOPERATIVE FUEL GAUGE.

Narrative: FUELING MEL ISSUE. ACFT HAD MEL: MAIN FUEL TANK INDICATOR INOP. THE MEL MAINT PROC READS 'ASSOCIATED MAIN TANK FUEL QUANTITY IS DETERMINED USING PROCS OUTLINED IN ACR FUEL MANUAL.' I CONTACTED MAINT AND A MECH CAME TO THE FLT DECK. I ASKED HIM FOR A CLARIFICATION OF THESE PROCS SO I COULD ENSURE; AS THE CAPT; THAT THE PROPER FUEL WAS ON BOARD. HE SAID MAINT HAD NO DUTIES IN REGARD TO THIS MEL. HE CONTACTED THE LEAD MECH AND RECEIVED THE SAME INFO. I CALLED MY DISPATCHER AND WAS PATCHED INTO MAINT CTL. MAINT CTL SAID HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH INOP FUEL GAUGE PROCS AND THIS WAS HANDLED BY LCL FUELERS. THE COMPLETED NORMAL FUEL SLIP WAS DELIVERED TO THE FLT DECK. THERE WAS NO NOTATION OF MEL PROCS BEING FOLLOWED. THE MEL NEEDS TO BE UPDATED TO DESCRIBE EXACTLY WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FUEL GAUGE INOP PROCS AND EXACTLY WHAT FORMS NEED TO BE PROVIDED TO THE FLT CREW TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPER AMOUNT OF FUEL IS ON BOARD THE ACFT PRIOR TO FLT. IT IS OF NOTE THAT THE NON-COMPLIANCE WITH MEL FUEL GAUGE INOP PROCS WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL THE FINAL SAFETY BARRIER; THE FLT CREW. I THEN CALLED THE FUELING SUPVR TO THE FLT DECK. HE STATED THAT THE FUELER HAD MISSED THE MEL NOTATION ON THE FUEL SLIP AND THAT HE WOULD COMPLETE THE MEL REQUIREMENTS. HE COMPLETED THE MAGNA STICK/DRIP STICK FORM AND DELIVERED IT TO THE FLT DECK. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A MAINT PROC SECTION IN THE MEL; I RECEIVED NO SUPPORT IN DETERMINING IF MY FLT HAD THE CORRECT FUEL LOAD FROM MAINT OR MAINT CTL. ACR SHOULD REVIEW THE FUEL GAUGE INOP PROCS TO ENSURE THERE ARE SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF BARRIERS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL REQUIRED IS ON THE ACFT. IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS ON THE PROPER AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD; THE FLT CREW MUST BE ABLE TO RELY ON MAINT FOR SUPPORT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.