Narrative:

Prior to departing stl to bhm, multiple interruptions were experienced in the cockpit (i.e., maintenance, ramp agent requesting fuel order, F/a, boarding agent). During this time I called for the before start checklist which my copilot completed, except that he told me we were still waiting on our requested fuel order. He stated that he had radioed our flight operations and they were aware that we were to get fuel. Following the completion of the manifest, I asked where we were on the before takeoff checklist and was told that if I had a fuel cap on my side, it was complete. On climb out, it was pointed out that we did not have the fuel on board we desired and after checking with company we elected to flag stop for fuel in pah. Supplemental information from acn 160667: I had accepted an overtime trip for a co-worder and shown up 45 mins prior to departure. After getting WX, the captain requested 3500 pounds of fuel for the trip to bhm. After preflight, I called operations to inform them that we had not yet received fuel. They acknowledged. 10-15 mins later a ramp worker asked for a fuel order slip. I told him where it was and he left. 10-15 mins after requesting fuel, a fuel truck arrived on the right side of the aircraft and parked. Meanwhile the captain and I were doing our preflight check. On the before engine start checklist we stated 'checklist complete, waiting on fuel.' the passenger arrived and boarded. The door was closed. We completed the 'engine start checklist,' which doesn't mention fuel quantity. Started engines and departed. About 10 mins after departure I noticed that we had not received fuel and only had about 2000# on board. This would have been sufficient to make the trip, but only if everything went as planned (which it seldom does). My only suggestion would be a checklist redesign to include 'fuel quantity' on the after start checklist, or taxi checklist.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT DEPARTS WITHOUT SUFFICIENT FUEL.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEPARTING STL TO BHM, MULTIPLE INTERRUPTIONS WERE EXPERIENCED IN THE COCKPIT (I.E., MAINT, RAMP AGENT REQUESTING FUEL ORDER, F/A, BOARDING AGENT). DURING THIS TIME I CALLED FOR THE BEFORE START CHKLIST WHICH MY COPLT COMPLETED, EXCEPT THAT HE TOLD ME WE WERE STILL WAITING ON OUR REQUESTED FUEL ORDER. HE STATED THAT HE HAD RADIOED OUR FLT OPS AND THEY WERE AWARE THAT WE WERE TO GET FUEL. FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THE MANIFEST, I ASKED WHERE WE WERE ON THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST AND WAS TOLD THAT IF I HAD A FUEL CAP ON MY SIDE, IT WAS COMPLETE. ON CLBOUT, IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE FUEL ON BOARD WE DESIRED AND AFTER CHKING WITH COMPANY WE ELECTED TO FLAG STOP FOR FUEL IN PAH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 160667: I HAD ACCEPTED AN OVERTIME TRIP FOR A CO-WORDER AND SHOWN UP 45 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. AFTER GETTING WX, THE CAPT REQUESTED 3500 LBS OF FUEL FOR THE TRIP TO BHM. AFTER PREFLT, I CALLED OPS TO INFORM THEM THAT WE HAD NOT YET RECEIVED FUEL. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED. 10-15 MINS LATER A RAMP WORKER ASKED FOR A FUEL ORDER SLIP. I TOLD HIM WHERE IT WAS AND HE LEFT. 10-15 MINS AFTER REQUESTING FUEL, A FUEL TRUCK ARRIVED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ACFT AND PARKED. MEANWHILE THE CAPT AND I WERE DOING OUR PREFLT CHK. ON THE BEFORE ENG START CHKLIST WE STATED 'CHKLIST COMPLETE, WAITING ON FUEL.' THE PAX ARRIVED AND BOARDED. THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. WE COMPLETED THE 'ENG START CHKLIST,' WHICH DOESN'T MENTION FUEL QUANTITY. STARTED ENGS AND DEPARTED. ABOUT 10 MINS AFTER DEP I NOTICED THAT WE HAD NOT RECEIVED FUEL AND ONLY HAD ABOUT 2000# ON BOARD. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT TO MAKE THE TRIP, BUT ONLY IF EVERYTHING WENT AS PLANNED (WHICH IT SELDOM DOES). MY ONLY SUGGESTION WOULD BE A CHKLIST REDESIGN TO INCLUDE 'FUEL QUANTITY' ON THE AFTER START CHKLIST, OR TAXI CHKLIST.

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.