Air carrier medium large transport with inoperative fuel gauge experiences out of trim condition.

Attributes
ACN	151344
Time
Date	199007
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	151344
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	151105
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

#1 fuel gauge placarded inoperative from previous day. Estimated fuel on board by inbound crew recorded in logbook. Gallons delivered by fueler multiplied by 6.7 to calculate fuel in pounds delivered. This amount added to inbound fuel to determine estimated fuel on board, which agreed with dispatch fuel load. #1 fuel tank reading was verified by dripstick method, using a certified mechanic. (Above method is standard for company procedures). After departure from newark, aircraft rolled slightly to the right (15 degree). More than a minor trim problem, and considering 1 fuel gauge inoperative, flight was returned to newark for verification of fuel load. Mechanic had incorrectly read 1 dripstick measurement by under 1700 pounds. As captain I normally increase a fuel load by 2000 pounds to compensate for erroneous readings with fuel gauge inoperative. As a result flight departed with legal fuel but 1700 pounds our of balance. As flight crews we are trained to adhere strictly with abnormal fueling procedure suggest same emphasis with ground crews.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG WITH INOP FUEL GAUGE EXPERIENCES OUT OF TRIM CONDITION.

Narrative: #1 FUEL GAUGE PLACARDED INOPERATIVE FROM PREVIOUS DAY. ESTIMATED FUEL ON BOARD BY INBND CREW RECORDED IN LOGBOOK. GALLONS DELIVERED BY FUELER MULTIPLIED BY 6.7 TO CALCULATE FUEL IN POUNDS DELIVERED. THIS AMOUNT ADDED TO INBND FUEL TO DETERMINE ESTIMATED FUEL ON BOARD, WHICH AGREED WITH DISPATCH FUEL LOAD. #1 FUEL TANK READING WAS VERIFIED BY DRIPSTICK METHOD, USING A CERTIFIED MECH. (ABOVE METHOD IS STANDARD FOR COMPANY PROCS). AFTER DEP FROM NEWARK, ACFT ROLLED SLIGHTLY TO THE R (15 DEG). MORE THAN A MINOR TRIM PROB, AND CONSIDERING 1 FUEL GAUGE INOP, FLT WAS RETURNED TO NEWARK FOR VERIFICATION OF FUEL LOAD. MECH HAD INCORRECTLY READ 1 DRIPSTICK MEASUREMENT BY UNDER 1700 LBS. AS CAPT I NORMALLY INCREASE A FUEL LOAD BY 2000 LBS TO COMPENSATE FOR ERRONEOUS READINGS WITH FUEL GAUGE INOP. AS A RESULT FLT DEPARTED WITH LEGAL FUEL BUT 1700 LBS OUR OF BALANCE. AS FLT CREWS WE ARE TRAINED TO ADHERE STRICTLY WITH ABNORMAL FUELING PROC SUGGEST SAME EMPHASIS WITH GND CREWS.

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.