Narrative:

We departed jfk for bos. On climb out the captain (I) noted that fuel gauges were indicating rather low for being fueled to 4000#. At 6000' we leveled off and found according to the fuel quantity indicators that we had 1200 pounds a side or 2400 pounds of fuel total on board. Minimum fuel for IFR was 3200#, VFR 2800#. Because of the difference of fuel on board and what I should have I returned to jfk in order to find out the problem. In flight the first officer noted that there had been a fuel truck at the aircraft. There were 3 possibilities: 1) the fuel indicators were wrong. 2) I was losing fuel. 3) we never received fuel before departure. After returning to the gate the tanks were dipped and the fueler was asked how much fuel was put on the aircraft. This was all done at my request. The fueler told me he did not fuel this aircraft. After dipping the tanks, the readings of the fuel quantity indicators were correct. I had the aircraft refueled and we departed to bos west/O any further problems. At all times the checklists were used. Somehow at fuel quantity the correct amount was never said out loud or noted to be wrong. To make sure this never happens again, there are a couple of solutions: 1) always read out loud the actual fuel quantity reading and compare with manifest. 2) have first officer or captain always receive full slip with amount of gals added and have either one sign for the correct fuel amount on board. At all times there was no danger to anyone on board. This was a precautionary return to jfk.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER FLT DEPARTED WITHOUT CLEARED FUEL ON BOARD. AFTER RECOGNIZING THE SITUATION FLT RETURNED TO DEP STATION.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED JFK FOR BOS. ON CLBOUT THE CAPT (I) NOTED THAT FUEL GAUGES WERE INDICATING RATHER LOW FOR BEING FUELED TO 4000#. AT 6000' WE LEVELED OFF AND FOUND ACCORDING TO THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS THAT WE HAD 1200 LBS A SIDE OR 2400 LBS OF FUEL TOTAL ON BOARD. MINIMUM FUEL FOR IFR WAS 3200#, VFR 2800#. BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCE OF FUEL ON BOARD AND WHAT I SHOULD HAVE I RETURNED TO JFK IN ORDER TO FIND OUT THE PROB. IN FLT THE F/O NOTED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A FUEL TRUCK AT THE ACFT. THERE WERE 3 POSSIBILITIES: 1) THE FUEL INDICATORS WERE WRONG. 2) I WAS LOSING FUEL. 3) WE NEVER RECEIVED FUEL BEFORE DEP. AFTER RETURNING TO THE GATE THE TANKS WERE DIPPED AND THE FUELER WAS ASKED HOW MUCH FUEL WAS PUT ON THE ACFT. THIS WAS ALL DONE AT MY REQUEST. THE FUELER TOLD ME HE DID NOT FUEL THIS ACFT. AFTER DIPPING THE TANKS, THE READINGS OF THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS WERE CORRECT. I HAD THE ACFT REFUELED AND WE DEPARTED TO BOS W/O ANY FURTHER PROBS. AT ALL TIMES THE CHKLISTS WERE USED. SOMEHOW AT FUEL QUANTITY THE CORRECT AMOUNT WAS NEVER SAID OUT LOUD OR NOTED TO BE WRONG. TO MAKE SURE THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SOLUTIONS: 1) ALWAYS READ OUT LOUD THE ACTUAL FUEL QUANTITY READING AND COMPARE WITH MANIFEST. 2) HAVE F/O OR CAPT ALWAYS RECEIVE FULL SLIP WITH AMOUNT OF GALS ADDED AND HAVE EITHER ONE SIGN FOR THE CORRECT FUEL AMOUNT ON BOARD. AT ALL TIMES THERE WAS NO DANGER TO ANYONE ON BOARD. THIS WAS A PRECAUTIONARY RETURN TO JFK.

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.