Narrative:

The flight was originating, first flight of the day. Aircraft had overnighted. Upon arrival at operations, we were advised that #2 fuel quantity gauge was inoperative. Agent was informed we'd need fuel slip, immediately handed a slip to me which was a copy of a blank form (badly faded) with fuel figures written in the blanks (fresh ink). We added up the prefuel pounds (center tank dripstick reading), compared it to release fuel and fuel added, and final statement of dripstick reading on #2 (center tank), and all agreed. Flight plan was for 1:20, fuel was 26,000 pounds with center tank fuel gauge stuck at 9045 pounds. At level off, aft boost pump low pressure light #2 tank came on. Assumed further problem with fuel system since fuel slip said 9000 pounds at takeoff. 5 mins prior to descent, 2ND low pressure light came on #2 tank. Went all pumps on xfeed, asked for direct route, traffic permitting (no emergency) stayed at 31,000 until 80 mi from destination (mia) made power off straight in approach, engines idle to 1000 AGL and landed. Follow-up with maintenance revealed broken fuel valve in #2 tank, and tank bone dry. Further scrutiny of fuel slip revealed the faded portion of format was for the previous day (mia-mbs). Same leg length, ergo correct fuel figures. Supplemental information from acn 129415: an error by a fueler at a remote station caused us to be seriously low in fuel upon arrival at our destination. An inoperative fuel gauge in the cockpit forced us to rely upon the fuel information given to us by the fueler, as recorded on the fuel slip, which was inaccurate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INOPERATIVE FUEL GAUGE AND INCORRECT FUEL FIGURES CONTRIBUTE TO FUEL CRITICAL SITUATION FOR ACR LGT.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS ORIGINATING, FIRST FLT OF THE DAY. ACFT HAD OVERNIGHTED. UPON ARR AT OPERATIONS, WE WERE ADVISED THAT #2 FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE WAS INOP. AGENT WAS INFORMED WE'D NEED FUEL SLIP, IMMEDIATELY HANDED A SLIP TO ME WHICH WAS A COPY OF A BLANK FORM (BADLY FADED) WITH FUEL FIGURES WRITTEN IN THE BLANKS (FRESH INK). WE ADDED UP THE PREFUEL POUNDS (CENTER TANK DRIPSTICK READING), COMPARED IT TO RELEASE FUEL AND FUEL ADDED, AND FINAL STATEMENT OF DRIPSTICK READING ON #2 (CENTER TANK), AND ALL AGREED. FLT PLAN WAS FOR 1:20, FUEL WAS 26,000 LBS WITH CENTER TANK FUEL GAUGE STUCK AT 9045 LBS. AT LEVEL OFF, AFT BOOST PUMP LOW PRESSURE LIGHT #2 TANK CAME ON. ASSUMED FURTHER PROBLEM WITH FUEL SYSTEM SINCE FUEL SLIP SAID 9000 LBS AT TKOF. 5 MINS PRIOR TO DSCNT, 2ND LOW PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON #2 TANK. WENT ALL PUMPS ON XFEED, ASKED FOR DIRECT ROUTE, TFC PERMITTING (NO EMER) STAYED AT 31,000 UNTIL 80 MI FROM DEST (MIA) MADE POWER OFF STRAIGHT IN APCH, ENGINES IDLE TO 1000 AGL AND LANDED. FOLLOW-UP WITH MAINT REVEALED BROKEN FUEL VALVE IN #2 TANK, AND TANK BONE DRY. FURTHER SCRUTINY OF FUEL SLIP REVEALED THE FADED PORTION OF FORMAT WAS FOR THE PREVIOUS DAY (MIA-MBS). SAME LEG LENGTH, ERGO CORRECT FUEL FIGURES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 129415: AN ERROR BY A FUELER AT A REMOTE STATION CAUSED US TO BE SERIOUSLY LOW IN FUEL UPON ARR AT OUR DEST. AN INOPERATIVE FUEL GAUGE IN THE COCKPIT FORCED US TO RELY UPON THE FUEL INFO GIVEN TO US BY THE FUELER, AS RECORDED ON THE FUEL SLIP, WHICH WAS INACCURATE.

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.