Narrative:

Our aircraft blocked into mkg with 1600 pounds of fuel remaining on board. Our dispatch release had an outbnd range of 2100-2600 printed on it. I told company personnel that a fuel truck was needed and to pump to the 2600 pound maximum. The first officer left the cockpit during the 20 min turn for about 5 min and returned. Nothing was said, but I assumed that he had monitored the fueling and checked the outside gauges as required by company operations. In reality, what he had done, was to go into the terminal to use the restroom. I did not leave my seat during the stop. We proceeded with start checks and started the engines, not realizing the fuel shortage. We did after-start checks and blocked out of the gate. Everything proceeded normally until approximately 5 min after takeoff, when we all realized we had not been fueled. I immediately returned to the airport and landed west/O (mkg) incident with approximately 1200 pounds of fuel remaining. We were then fueled to the required amount of 2600 and after getting a revalidated release we proceeded to fly the trip to ord west/O any incident. The company is proceeding with disciplinary action. Supplemental information from acn 153228. When I returned to the aircraft I performed a walk-around and checked the refueling point. I noted that the aircraft hadn't been fueled yet. When I read 'fuel quantity system' the captain responded 'checked and set 2600 pounds.' that was the response I was looking for so I continued with the checklist. After approximately 5 mins in the air the station personnel called us and asked if we had been refueled. At this time we noticed we hadn't been fueled and returned to the airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT DEPARTED WITH INSUFFICIENT FUEL. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: OUR ACFT BLOCKED INTO MKG WITH 1600 LBS OF FUEL REMAINING ON BOARD. OUR DISPATCH RELEASE HAD AN OUTBND RANGE OF 2100-2600 PRINTED ON IT. I TOLD COMPANY PERSONNEL THAT A FUEL TRUCK WAS NEEDED AND TO PUMP TO THE 2600 LB MAX. THE F/O LEFT THE COCKPIT DURING THE 20 MIN TURN FOR ABOUT 5 MIN AND RETURNED. NOTHING WAS SAID, BUT I ASSUMED THAT HE HAD MONITORED THE FUELING AND CHKED THE OUTSIDE GAUGES AS REQUIRED BY COMPANY OPS. IN REALITY, WHAT HE HAD DONE, WAS TO GO INTO THE TERMINAL TO USE THE RESTROOM. I DID NOT LEAVE MY SEAT DURING THE STOP. WE PROCEEDED WITH START CHKS AND STARTED THE ENGS, NOT REALIZING THE FUEL SHORTAGE. WE DID AFTER-START CHKS AND BLOCKED OUT OF THE GATE. EVERYTHING PROCEEDED NORMALLY UNTIL APPROX 5 MIN AFTER TKOF, WHEN WE ALL REALIZED WE HAD NOT BEEN FUELED. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO THE ARPT AND LANDED W/O (MKG) INCIDENT WITH APPROX 1200 LBS OF FUEL REMAINING. WE WERE THEN FUELED TO THE REQUIRED AMOUNT OF 2600 AND AFTER GETTING A REVALIDATED RELEASE WE PROCEEDED TO FLY THE TRIP TO ORD W/O ANY INCIDENT. THE COMPANY IS PROCEEDING WITH DISCIPLINARY ACTION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 153228. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE ACFT I PERFORMED A WALK-AROUND AND CHKED THE REFUELING POINT. I NOTED THAT THE ACFT HADN'T BEEN FUELED YET. WHEN I READ 'FUEL QUANTITY SYS' THE CAPT RESPONDED 'CHKED AND SET 2600 LBS.' THAT WAS THE RESPONSE I WAS LOOKING FOR SO I CONTINUED WITH THE CHKLIST. AFTER APPROX 5 MINS IN THE AIR THE STATION PERSONNEL CALLED US AND ASKED IF WE HAD BEEN REFUELED. AT THIS TIME WE NOTICED WE HADN'T BEEN FUELED AND RETURNED TO THE ARPT.

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.