Air carrier medium large transport taxiied away from the gate without proper fuel load.

Attributes
ACN	131861
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 10800 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	131186
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight taxied off the gate west/O being fueled, and obviously not having required fuel load per dispatch release. The error was discovered while taxiing, long before ever being in a position for takeoff. The flight returned to the gate, received required fuel and departed west/O further incident. At the time of original gate departure, many factors came into play: the flight was late; both crew members left the flight deck to do other business, and this takes the mind off the flight; last minute problem with holding for connecting passenger; last min problem with a catering situation; a cockpit jump seat rider who's presence was distracting; gate agent is supposed to check fuel load before closing the door--she did not; 'fuel qty' on prestart checklist was responded to by only a 'check'--no conscious mental thought was used at all; both C/O's and first officer's personal flow pattern, which both include fuel qty, were not carried out; mechanics sometimes check if we've been fueled--they did not; and many backups didn't work, but they weren't all used up before takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TAXIIED AWAY FROM THE GATE WITHOUT PROPER FUEL LOAD.

Narrative: THE FLT TAXIED OFF THE GATE W/O BEING FUELED, AND OBVIOUSLY NOT HAVING REQUIRED FUEL LOAD PER DISPATCH RELEASE. THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED WHILE TAXIING, LONG BEFORE EVER BEING IN A POS FOR TKOF. THE FLT RETURNED TO THE GATE, RECEIVED REQUIRED FUEL AND DEPARTED W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. AT THE TIME OF ORIGINAL GATE DEP, MANY FACTORS CAME INTO PLAY: THE FLT WAS LATE; BOTH CREW MEMBERS LEFT THE FLT DECK TO DO OTHER BUSINESS, AND THIS TAKES THE MIND OFF THE FLT; LAST MINUTE PROB WITH HOLDING FOR CONNECTING PAX; LAST MIN PROB WITH A CATERING SITUATION; A COCKPIT JUMP SEAT RIDER WHO'S PRESENCE WAS DISTRACTING; GATE AGENT IS SUPPOSED TO CHK FUEL LOAD BEFORE CLOSING THE DOOR--SHE DID NOT; 'FUEL QTY' ON PRESTART CHKLIST WAS RESPONDED TO BY ONLY A 'CHK'--NO CONSCIOUS MENTAL THOUGHT WAS USED AT ALL; BOTH C/O'S AND F/O'S PERSONAL FLOW PATTERN, WHICH BOTH INCLUDE FUEL QTY, WERE NOT CARRIED OUT; MECHS SOMETIMES CHK IF WE'VE BEEN FUELED--THEY DID NOT; AND MANY BACKUPS DIDN'T WORK, BUT THEY WEREN'T ALL USED UP BEFORE TKOF.

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.