Incorrect fuel slip, indicated higher than actual.

Attributes
ACN	186628
Time
Date	199108
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : roc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000
ASRS Report	186628
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

As a crew, we 'caught' this fueling error, before takeoff, because we followed the checklist closely, thinking clearly about verifying each item. When the pms takeoff weight displayed, was 2000 pounds less than what our company weight and balance indicated, we investigated to find the discrepancy. The fueler had indicated a release fuel load of 17000 pounds of fuel on the fuel slip which was delivered to us, in the cockpit. The fuel gauges on this particular medium large transport, were not the digital type, but were the 'tick-mark' variety with only 1 number, '5' at the 5000 pound mark. As we completed our prestart checklist, we verified the fuel slip, with the release, with the fuel gauges. But taxiing out, while performing our takeoff checklist, we discovered that each wing fuel tank was exactly 1000 pounds of fuel less than the fuel slip indicated. We pulled into the runup area, called dispatch, and received an amended release for 15000 pounds of fuel, with an amended alternate and holding fuel. We were now ready, and 'legal' for takeoff. The fueler obviously made a mistake, but did the particular type of fuel gauges contribute to his error, and our error in misreading them before engine start? I think so! Anyway, following standardized 'company' checklists enabled us to 'catch' this one and correct it before takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INCORRECT FUEL SLIP, INDICATED HIGHER THAN ACTUAL.

Narrative: AS A CREW, WE 'CAUGHT' THIS FUELING ERROR, BEFORE TKOF, BECAUSE WE FOLLOWED THE CHKLIST CLOSELY, THINKING CLRLY ABOUT VERIFYING EACH ITEM. WHEN THE PMS TKOF WT DISPLAYED, WAS 2000 POUNDS LESS THAN WHAT OUR COMPANY WT AND BAL INDICATED, WE INVESTIGATED TO FIND THE DISCREPANCY. THE FUELER HAD INDICATED A RELEASE FUEL LOAD OF 17000 POUNDS OF FUEL ON THE FUEL SLIP WHICH WAS DELIVERED TO US, IN THE COCKPIT. THE FUEL GAUGES ON THIS PARTICULAR MLG, WERE NOT THE DIGITAL TYPE, BUT WERE THE 'TICK-MARK' VARIETY WITH ONLY 1 NUMBER, '5' AT THE 5000 POUND MARK. AS WE COMPLETED OUR PRESTART CHKLIST, WE VERIFIED THE FUEL SLIP, WITH THE RELEASE, WITH THE FUEL GAUGES. BUT TAXIING OUT, WHILE PERFORMING OUR TKOF CHKLIST, WE DISCOVERED THAT EACH WING FUEL TANK WAS EXACTLY 1000 POUNDS OF FUEL LESS THAN THE FUEL SLIP INDICATED. WE PULLED INTO THE RUNUP AREA, CALLED DISPATCH, AND RECEIVED AN AMENDED RELEASE FOR 15000 POUNDS OF FUEL, WITH AN AMENDED ALTERNATE AND HOLDING FUEL. WE WERE NOW READY, AND 'LEGAL' FOR TKOF. THE FUELER OBVIOUSLY MADE A MISTAKE, BUT DID THE PARTICULAR TYPE OF FUEL GAUGES CONTRIBUTE TO HIS ERROR, AND OUR ERROR IN MISREADING THEM BEFORE ENG START? I THINK SO! ANYWAY, FOLLOWING STANDARDIZED 'COMPANY' CHKLISTS ENABLED US TO 'CATCH' THIS ONE AND CORRECT IT BEFORE TKOF.

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.