In-flight engine shutdown. Fuel starvation.

Attributes
ACN	150089
Time
Date	199007
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : syr
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : syr tower : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 228 flight time total : 2728
ASRS Report	150089
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3700
ASRS Report	150598
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Sunday morning we reported to work at the syracuse airport. When I picked up the airplane logbook there was a note attached from the pilot who flew the airplane in from utica. It stated that the left fuel gauge had been worked on and the left gauge was MEL inoperative. The pilot also stated that the airplane had been topped off in utica and that it had flown 18 min and it had 2300 pounds of fuel on board. We flew the airplane 4 legs, syr-ith .5 block time, ith-syr .4 block time, took on 40 gallons of fuel in syr, flew to bdl 1.1 block time, bdl-syr 1.1 block time, took 100 gallons a side in syr and flew to phl. On arrival to phl the right gauge showed 750 pounds which meant I had 1500 pounds of fuel on board. The next morning we departed phl for syr and approximately 10 mins out the left nacelle not full light came on. Knowing how much fuel was on board from the previous days flying I believed the light was inaccurate. At about 5 mi from the syr airport I had fuel flow fluctuations and a drop in oil pressure. At this time I assumed I was experiencing an engine problem and did a precautionary engine shutdown and landing. After checking on the ground the fuel was short 450 pounds on the left side. After investigation by the FAA inspectors what was found was the fueler the day before had topped off the wings tanks and not the nacelles. The note left for me by the company served as verification of fuel on board and fueled according to this. Supplemental information from acn 150598. Shortly after takeoff the left 'nacelle not full' light illuminated. I told the captain, 'this is really strange, that light should not be on.' he responded, 'the gauge and light must be screwed up, we left philadelphia with 1500 pounds of fuel.' because he was convinced we had the correct amount of fuel I did not pursue the matter further because I felt regardless of what I said it would not alter the capts decision to ignore the warning light and continue to syracuse.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENGINE SHUTDOWN. FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative: SUNDAY MORNING WE RPTED TO WORK AT THE SYRACUSE ARPT. WHEN I PICKED UP THE AIRPLANE LOGBOOK THERE WAS A NOTE ATTACHED FROM THE PLT WHO FLEW THE AIRPLANE IN FROM UTICA. IT STATED THAT THE L FUEL GAUGE HAD BEEN WORKED ON AND THE L GAUGE WAS MEL INOP. THE PLT ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN TOPPED OFF IN UTICA AND THAT IT HAD FLOWN 18 MIN AND IT HAD 2300 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD. WE FLEW THE AIRPLANE 4 LEGS, SYR-ITH .5 BLOCK TIME, ITH-SYR .4 BLOCK TIME, TOOK ON 40 GALLONS OF FUEL IN SYR, FLEW TO BDL 1.1 BLOCK TIME, BDL-SYR 1.1 BLOCK TIME, TOOK 100 GALLONS A SIDE IN SYR AND FLEW TO PHL. ON ARR TO PHL THE R GAUGE SHOWED 750 LBS WHICH MEANT I HAD 1500 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE NEXT MORNING WE DEPARTED PHL FOR SYR AND APPROX 10 MINS OUT THE L NACELLE NOT FULL LIGHT CAME ON. KNOWING HOW MUCH FUEL WAS ON BOARD FROM THE PREVIOUS DAYS FLYING I BELIEVED THE LIGHT WAS INACCURATE. AT ABOUT 5 MI FROM THE SYR ARPT I HAD FUEL FLOW FLUCTUATIONS AND A DROP IN OIL PRESSURE. AT THIS TIME I ASSUMED I WAS EXPERIENCING AN ENG PROB AND DID A PRECAUTIONARY ENG SHUTDOWN AND LNDG. AFTER CHKING ON THE GND THE FUEL WAS SHORT 450 LBS ON THE L SIDE. AFTER INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA INSPECTORS WHAT WAS FOUND WAS THE FUELER THE DAY BEFORE HAD TOPPED OFF THE WINGS TANKS AND NOT THE NACELLES. THE NOTE LEFT FOR ME BY THE COMPANY SERVED AS VERIFICATION OF FUEL ON BOARD AND FUELED ACCORDING TO THIS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 150598. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF THE L 'NACELLE NOT FULL' LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I TOLD THE CAPT, 'THIS IS REALLY STRANGE, THAT LIGHT SHOULD NOT BE ON.' HE RESPONDED, 'THE GAUGE AND LIGHT MUST BE SCREWED UP, WE LEFT PHILADELPHIA WITH 1500 LBS OF FUEL.' BECAUSE HE WAS CONVINCED WE HAD THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL I DID NOT PURSUE THE MATTER FURTHER BECAUSE I FELT REGARDLESS OF WHAT I SAID IT WOULD NOT ALTER THE CAPTS DECISION TO IGNORE THE WARNING LIGHT AND CONTINUE TO SYRACUSE.

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.