Narrative:

We were approximately 50 mins late with swap in aircraft to change gates. First swap aircraft ship xx was not brought to gate as originally planned. Ship xy was at the gate. I went to operations to get release and WX package and proceeded to gate ab. Upon reaching aircraft passenger were already aboard. I had noticed a fuel truck by right wing. First officer had not arrived as yet, so I went through aircraft checklist, and at fuel quantity point looked at gauges and saw them revolving, which indicated that fueler had pressed test button, so continued on checklist west/O first officer. I then called and received IFR clearance for flight XXXX, which was to be called XXXY. First officer arrived and we talked about flight plan, clearance, ATC and started checklist challenge and response. Just before fuel item again, a gate supervisor walked up to cockpit and asked if we were ready, just as passenger walked up to discuss late departure. After initial confusion was settled, I turned toward front of cockpit again and noticed pink fuel slip at pedestal area. I picked it up and saw 18000' total fuel on board, while being asked again if we were ready to shut door. I said yes. Main cabin door was shut and we began the checklist again. I handed the first officer release WX and fuel slip, and we were interrupted again. I opened side window and was told we had to wait for 2 mechanics to fly with us. Supervisor came to cockpit and we began talking about all the problems. 15 mins later door was shut again and we were given start signal. I called for before start checklist and first item was fuel quantity, flight papers. I said, 'check!', and started engines, pwred back, came out of reverse to taxi. Noticed gauges did not match fuel slip. Went back to gate. Discovered fuel slip was not read correctly by me. It was 3 days old. Aircraft was never fueled for this flight. Don't let interruptions prevent you from starting over checklist properly.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DEPARTS GATE WITHOUT REQUIRED FUEL ON BOARD.

Narrative: WE WERE APPROX 50 MINS LATE WITH SWAP IN ACFT TO CHANGE GATES. FIRST SWAP ACFT SHIP XX WAS NOT BROUGHT TO GATE AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED. SHIP XY WAS AT THE GATE. I WENT TO OPS TO GET RELEASE AND WX PACKAGE AND PROCEEDED TO GATE AB. UPON REACHING ACFT PAX WERE ALREADY ABOARD. I HAD NOTICED A FUEL TRUCK BY RIGHT WING. F/O HAD NOT ARRIVED AS YET, SO I WENT THROUGH ACFT CHKLIST, AND AT FUEL QUANTITY POINT LOOKED AT GAUGES AND SAW THEM REVOLVING, WHICH INDICATED THAT FUELER HAD PRESSED TEST BUTTON, SO CONTINUED ON CHKLIST W/O F/O. I THEN CALLED AND RECEIVED IFR CLRNC FOR FLT XXXX, WHICH WAS TO BE CALLED XXXY. F/O ARRIVED AND WE TALKED ABOUT FLT PLAN, CLRNC, ATC AND STARTED CHKLIST CHALLENGE AND RESPONSE. JUST BEFORE FUEL ITEM AGAIN, A GATE SUPVR WALKED UP TO COCKPIT AND ASKED IF WE WERE READY, JUST AS PAX WALKED UP TO DISCUSS LATE DEP. AFTER INITIAL CONFUSION WAS SETTLED, I TURNED TOWARD FRONT OF COCKPIT AGAIN AND NOTICED PINK FUEL SLIP AT PEDESTAL AREA. I PICKED IT UP AND SAW 18000' TOTAL FUEL ON BOARD, WHILE BEING ASKED AGAIN IF WE WERE READY TO SHUT DOOR. I SAID YES. MAIN CABIN DOOR WAS SHUT AND WE BEGAN THE CHKLIST AGAIN. I HANDED THE F/O RELEASE WX AND FUEL SLIP, AND WE WERE INTERRUPTED AGAIN. I OPENED SIDE WINDOW AND WAS TOLD WE HAD TO WAIT FOR 2 MECHS TO FLY WITH US. SUPVR CAME TO COCKPIT AND WE BEGAN TALKING ABOUT ALL THE PROBS. 15 MINS LATER DOOR WAS SHUT AGAIN AND WE WERE GIVEN START SIGNAL. I CALLED FOR BEFORE START CHKLIST AND FIRST ITEM WAS FUEL QUANTITY, FLT PAPERS. I SAID, 'CHK!', AND STARTED ENGS, PWRED BACK, CAME OUT OF REVERSE TO TAXI. NOTICED GAUGES DID NOT MATCH FUEL SLIP. WENT BACK TO GATE. DISCOVERED FUEL SLIP WAS NOT READ CORRECTLY BY ME. IT WAS 3 DAYS OLD. ACFT WAS NEVER FUELED FOR THIS FLT. DON'T LET INTERRUPTIONS PREVENT YOU FROM STARTING OVER CHKLIST PROPERLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.