Narrative:

Several hours after checking into my layover room in rdu, I received a phone call from the rdu flight administration office. I was informed that the #2 fuel tank on aircraft from flight sju to rdu was found to be dry by the refueling crew. This aircraft had a placarded inoperative #2 fuel quantity gauge. In san juan the aircraft was checked by dripstick and 3365 gals were metered into #2 tank and reported as 22,100 pounds of fuel. #1 tank indicated 11,300 and #3 tank had 11,600 for a total fuel slip load of 45,000 pounds. We took off and climbed to FL310 utilizing standard tank to engine fuel burn procedures. As cruise speed was set at 3300 pounds per hour per engine, after the fuel feed was set to feed all engines from #2 tank. A time as well as a point was calculated when all 3 tanks would be balanced. That point was elkas intersection. The remainder of the flight was tank to engine with carefully balanced fuel flows. All indications on #2 tank pumps remained normal, no signs of fuel starvation were evident on #2 engine. So I had no reason to suspect any problems with #2 fuel quantity. I do not believe #2 tank was dry. It may have been low, and if it was we either had a fuel leak, or more likely a bogus fuel slip at san juan. Our flight plan was within 5 minutes. Our altitude was as planned, our mach was slightly higher, but not enough to burn up 5000 pounds of fuel, and #1 and #3 tanks were right on the planned fuel curve. I think the missing fuel is still in a fuel truck at san juan int'l airport. Proper training, careful monitoring and a cross-check between dripstick, meter readings, and cockpit crew may have prevented this incident.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT FUEL LOAD QUESTIONED AFTER ARR. TANK WITH INOPERATIVE FUEL GAUGE FOUND EMPTY BY CGP AT DESTINATION ARPT.

Narrative: SEVERAL HOURS AFTER CHECKING INTO MY LAYOVER ROOM IN RDU, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE RDU FLT ADMINISTRATION OFFICE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE #2 FUEL TANK ON ACFT FROM FLT SJU TO RDU WAS FOUND TO BE DRY BY THE REFUELING CREW. THIS ACFT HAD A PLACARDED INOP #2 FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE. IN SAN JUAN THE ACFT WAS CHECKED BY DRIPSTICK AND 3365 GALS WERE METERED INTO #2 TANK AND REPORTED AS 22,100 LBS OF FUEL. #1 TANK INDICATED 11,300 AND #3 TANK HAD 11,600 FOR A TOTAL FUEL SLIP LOAD OF 45,000 LBS. WE TOOK OFF AND CLIMBED TO FL310 UTILIZING STANDARD TANK TO ENGINE FUEL BURN PROCS. AS CRUISE SPEED WAS SET AT 3300 LBS PER HOUR PER ENGINE, AFTER THE FUEL FEED WAS SET TO FEED ALL ENGINES FROM #2 TANK. A TIME AS WELL AS A POINT WAS CALCULATED WHEN ALL 3 TANKS WOULD BE BALANCED. THAT POINT WAS ELKAS INTXN. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS TANK TO ENGINE WITH CAREFULLY BALANCED FUEL FLOWS. ALL INDICATIONS ON #2 TANK PUMPS REMAINED NORMAL, NO SIGNS OF FUEL STARVATION WERE EVIDENT ON #2 ENGINE. SO I HAD NO REASON TO SUSPECT ANY PROBLEMS WITH #2 FUEL QUANTITY. I DO NOT BELIEVE #2 TANK WAS DRY. IT MAY HAVE BEEN LOW, AND IF IT WAS WE EITHER HAD A FUEL LEAK, OR MORE LIKELY A BOGUS FUEL SLIP AT SAN JUAN. OUR FLT PLAN WAS WITHIN 5 MINUTES. OUR ALT WAS AS PLANNED, OUR MACH WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO BURN UP 5000 LBS OF FUEL, AND #1 AND #3 TANKS WERE RIGHT ON THE PLANNED FUEL CURVE. I THINK THE MISSING FUEL IS STILL IN A FUEL TRUCK AT SAN JUAN INT'L ARPT. PROPER TRAINING, CAREFUL MONITORING AND A CROSS-CHECK BETWEEN DRIPSTICK, METER READINGS, AND COCKPIT CREW MAY HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT.

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.