Large transport takeoff with less fuel than planned.

Attributes
ACN	99790
Time
Date	198812
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
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	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 : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	99790
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 19500 flight time type : 5100
ASRS Report	99712
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
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:

We departed atl. The #2 fuel tank gauge was inoperative and on a ci. The #2 tank was pumped dry and a known quantity of 2830 gals/approximately 19000# was added to #2 for a total fuel load of 41900# requested. Actual fuel load was 42400#. Fuel burn off to chicago was 13700#, according to computer flight plan. Upon arrival at chicago fuel was observed to be 28000#, plus or minus because #2 could not read accurately. Since we operated tank to engine after a calculated center tank burn down, #2 fuel was approximately that which was observed in #1 and #3. Aircraft overnighted and we picked up the same aircraft for flight from chicago to atl, on 12/wed/88. Minimum fuel on flight according to flight plan was 26300'. Captain requested 29000# and asked the fueler to check the qty in #2 tank by pulling the drip sticks, which the second officer observed him to do. Approximately 45 mins after takeoff the low pressure lights on the forward boost pumps in the #2 tank started flickering and then came on steady. We then checked with our company tech service and dispatch and all concurred that we had more than sufficient fuel to continue to atl, but that there might be a possibility of a structural problem due to out of balance fuel. Several mins later the aft right boost pump low pressure light illuminated. All tanks were by now paralleled with all xfeeds open. Center was informed that we had a fuel discrepancy and we were given priority handling. We subsequently landed in atl with no further problems when #2 fuel tank was checked on the ground and was found to be empty. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: in order to work on the fuel gauge, maintenance had to pump the #2 tank dry. They failed to make any entry about this in the logbook and their attempt at repair was unsuccessful. The second officer saw that a drip stick had been lowered and fuel was running from it. He did not actually read the drip stick as required by company procedures. The captain told the fueler to read the drip stick and then add 2000# to the tank.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT TKOF WITH LESS FUEL THAN PLANNED.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED ATL. THE #2 FUEL TANK GAUGE WAS INOP AND ON A CI. THE #2 TANK WAS PUMPED DRY AND A KNOWN QUANTITY OF 2830 GALS/APPROX 19000# WAS ADDED TO #2 FOR A TOTAL FUEL LOAD OF 41900# REQUESTED. ACTUAL FUEL LOAD WAS 42400#. FUEL BURN OFF TO CHICAGO WAS 13700#, ACCORDING TO COMPUTER FLT PLAN. UPON ARR AT CHICAGO FUEL WAS OBSERVED TO BE 28000#, PLUS OR MINUS BECAUSE #2 COULD NOT READ ACCURATELY. SINCE WE OPERATED TANK TO ENG AFTER A CALCULATED CENTER TANK BURN DOWN, #2 FUEL WAS APPROX THAT WHICH WAS OBSERVED IN #1 AND #3. ACFT OVERNIGHTED AND WE PICKED UP THE SAME ACFT FOR FLT FROM CHICAGO TO ATL, ON 12/WED/88. MINIMUM FUEL ON FLT ACCORDING TO FLT PLAN WAS 26300'. CAPT REQUESTED 29000# AND ASKED THE FUELER TO CHK THE QTY IN #2 TANK BY PULLING THE DRIP STICKS, WHICH THE S/O OBSERVED HIM TO DO. APPROX 45 MINS AFTER TKOF THE LOW PRESSURE LIGHTS ON THE FORWARD BOOST PUMPS IN THE #2 TANK STARTED FLICKERING AND THEN CAME ON STEADY. WE THEN CHKED WITH OUR COMPANY TECH SVC AND DISPATCH AND ALL CONCURRED THAT WE HAD MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FUEL TO CONTINUE TO ATL, BUT THAT THERE MIGHT BE A POSSIBILITY OF A STRUCTURAL PROB DUE TO OUT OF BALANCE FUEL. SEVERAL MINS LATER THE AFT RIGHT BOOST PUMP LOW PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ALL TANKS WERE BY NOW PARALLELED WITH ALL XFEEDS OPEN. CENTER WAS INFORMED THAT WE HAD A FUEL DISCREPANCY AND WE WERE GIVEN PRIORITY HANDLING. WE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED IN ATL WITH NO FURTHER PROBS WHEN #2 FUEL TANK WAS CHKED ON THE GND AND WAS FOUND TO BE EMPTY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: IN ORDER TO WORK ON THE FUEL GAUGE, MAINT HAD TO PUMP THE #2 TANK DRY. THEY FAILED TO MAKE ANY ENTRY ABOUT THIS IN THE LOGBOOK AND THEIR ATTEMPT AT REPAIR WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE S/O SAW THAT A DRIP STICK HAD BEEN LOWERED AND FUEL WAS RUNNING FROM IT. HE DID NOT ACTUALLY READ THE DRIP STICK AS REQUIRED BY COMPANY PROCS. THE CAPT TOLD THE FUELER TO READ THE DRIP STICK AND THEN ADD 2000# TO THE TANK.

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.