Air carrier large transport took off with less than minimum required fuel load.

Attributes
ACN	80646
Time
Date	198801
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	80646
Person 2
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was student captain on 1/wed/88 from stl to lga. Fuel release was 24700#. #2 fuel quantity indicator was placarded inoperative. The fuel load and service record indicated that #2 fuel tank had been dipsticked before and after fueling and that it contained 8800# of the total fuel load of 26800# (24700# plus taxi fuel). In flight, intermittent #2 tank fuel boost pump low pressure lights illuminated. About 45 mins from landing both #2 right/forward and #2 right/aft low pressure lights illuminated steady. All 3 engines were fed from tanks 1 and 3 until approach for landing at which time the minimum fuel approach procedure was executed (all boost pumps on and all xfeeds open). Landing at lga was made with 6000 pounds of fuel, approximately 4000 below what had been planned. #2 tank actually must have had 5000 pounds of fuel or so at takeoff instead of 8800.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TOOK OFF WITH LESS THAN MINIMUM REQUIRED FUEL LOAD.

Narrative: I WAS STUDENT CAPT ON 1/WED/88 FROM STL TO LGA. FUEL RELEASE WAS 24700#. #2 FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR WAS PLACARDED INOP. THE FUEL LOAD AND SVC RECORD INDICATED THAT #2 FUEL TANK HAD BEEN DIPSTICKED BEFORE AND AFTER FUELING AND THAT IT CONTAINED 8800# OF THE TOTAL FUEL LOAD OF 26800# (24700# PLUS TAXI FUEL). IN FLT, INTERMITTENT #2 TANK FUEL BOOST PUMP LOW PRESSURE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. ABOUT 45 MINS FROM LNDG BOTH #2 RIGHT/FORWARD AND #2 RIGHT/AFT LOW PRESSURE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED STEADY. ALL 3 ENGS WERE FED FROM TANKS 1 AND 3 UNTIL APCH FOR LNDG AT WHICH TIME THE MINIMUM FUEL APCH PROC WAS EXECUTED (ALL BOOST PUMPS ON AND ALL XFEEDS OPEN). LNDG AT LGA WAS MADE WITH 6000 LBS OF FUEL, APPROX 4000 BELOW WHAT HAD BEEN PLANNED. #2 TANK ACTUALLY MUST HAVE HAD 5000 LBS OF FUEL OR SO AT TKOF INSTEAD OF 8800.

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