Dispatch error in fuel entry resulted in flight landing for fuel.

Attributes
ACN	90087
Time
Date	198806
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 4250 flight time type : 890
ASRS Report	90087
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	90405
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After quick turnaround at phl including aircraft change, we pushed back and took off with released fuel of 21500 pounds en route to iah. Once aloft we discovered this amount of fuel was inadequate. Estimated total fuel required was 19100 pounds. We decided to stop en route at bna and get fuel. Rest of flight was uneventful. Human performance considerations: I was distracted in phl operations by a discussion of our merger. I failed to add the fuel quantity up correctly and accepted the dispatcher's quantity as adequate. Because of the rush at phl the captain relied on my flight planning and the dispatcher's. He correctly saw we had dispatch fuel on board and failed to investigate further until en route to iah. Supplemental information from acn 90405: the flight plan fuel called for 31500 pounds. It was a 19100 pound burn. I mistakenly punched in a 2 instead of a 3 and released it with 21500.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCH ERROR IN FUEL ENTRY RESULTED IN FLT LNDG FOR FUEL.

Narrative: AFTER QUICK TURNAROUND AT PHL INCLUDING ACFT CHANGE, WE PUSHED BACK AND TOOK OFF WITH RELEASED FUEL OF 21500 LBS ENRTE TO IAH. ONCE ALOFT WE DISCOVERED THIS AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS INADEQUATE. ESTIMATED TOTAL FUEL REQUIRED WAS 19100 LBS. WE DECIDED TO STOP ENRTE AT BNA AND GET FUEL. REST OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: I WAS DISTRACTED IN PHL OPERATIONS BY A DISCUSSION OF OUR MERGER. I FAILED TO ADD THE FUEL QUANTITY UP CORRECTLY AND ACCEPTED THE DISPATCHER'S QUANTITY AS ADEQUATE. BECAUSE OF THE RUSH AT PHL THE CAPT RELIED ON MY FLT PLANNING AND THE DISPATCHER'S. HE CORRECTLY SAW WE HAD DISPATCH FUEL ON BOARD AND FAILED TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER UNTIL ENRTE TO IAH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 90405: THE FLT PLAN FUEL CALLED FOR 31500 LBS. IT WAS A 19100 LB BURN. I MISTAKENLY PUNCHED IN A 2 INSTEAD OF A 3 AND RELEASED IT WITH 21500.

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.