Air carrier widebody transport fuel load problem.

Attributes
ACN	94636
Time
Date	198809
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	94636
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain requested 50000 pounds of fuel. Being the first flight of the day, a dipstick reading of the tanks is required. Our ground personnel performed the task, as usual, and submitted the results to me. In turn, I compared the measure fuel vs the indicated fuel and found it to be within tolerance. Additionally, I compared the inbound flight's fuel and the gallons added to come up with a minimum total indicated fuel. Over ilm, we noticed our #1 tank fuel no longer being used, even though it was still indicating 10000#. A precautionary landing followed and the tank was found to be empty. Contributing factors are maintenance cleared a previous write up re: the gauge the night before and, ground personnel read the dipstick incorrectly which consequently, and allowed for erroneous onboard fuel checks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB FUEL LOAD PROBLEM.

Narrative: CAPT REQUESTED 50000 LBS OF FUEL. BEING THE FIRST FLT OF THE DAY, A DIPSTICK READING OF THE TANKS IS REQUIRED. OUR GND PERSONNEL PERFORMED THE TASK, AS USUAL, AND SUBMITTED THE RESULTS TO ME. IN TURN, I COMPARED THE MEASURE FUEL VS THE INDICATED FUEL AND FOUND IT TO BE WITHIN TOLERANCE. ADDITIONALLY, I COMPARED THE INBND FLT'S FUEL AND THE GALLONS ADDED TO COME UP WITH A MINIMUM TOTAL INDICATED FUEL. OVER ILM, WE NOTICED OUR #1 TANK FUEL NO LONGER BEING USED, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS STILL INDICATING 10000#. A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG FOLLOWED AND THE TANK WAS FOUND TO BE EMPTY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE MAINT CLRED A PREVIOUS WRITE UP RE: THE GAUGE THE NIGHT BEFORE AND, GND PERSONNEL READ THE DIPSTICK INCORRECTLY WHICH CONSEQUENTLY, AND ALLOWED FOR ERRONEOUS ONBOARD FUEL CHKS.

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.