Narrative:

While doing our checklist, etc for our flight ord-phx, discovered takeoff weight had gone from 159.0 on first fp to 173.595 on weight manifest, and fuel had been increased to 43.0. FAA inspector riding jump seat checked with operations and a second fp was hastily delivered to cockpit after scheduled departure time. A check was made of the takeoff weight and a push back was started. At the same time I noted, the fuel had gone to 45.1 on the new fp. Comparing the new fuel burn off for fuel with the fuel we had on board I reasoned that per our flight operations manual we could use part of our hold fuel as contingency fuel to 2/0 hours and not compromise safety. Traffic was light at ord and WX was VFR at phx with no alternate on flight plan. Some isolated thunderstorms being in the general area. About the time engines were started, operations advised us to return for more fuel, which we did. Explained situation to FAA inspector, advised he would be sending a report about what took place. In phx so advised me inspector had made derogatory remark in front of passengers also, he had left cockpit without advising anyone and was reading a magazine en route.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT DEP BLOCKS WITHOUT THE CORRECT FUEL LOAD. ACI WAS OBSERVING AND ACFT RETURNED TO BLOCKS FOR MORE FUEL.

Narrative: WHILE DOING OUR CHKLIST, ETC FOR OUR FLT ORD-PHX, DISCOVERED TKOF WT HAD GONE FROM 159.0 ON FIRST FP TO 173.595 ON WT MANIFEST, AND FUEL HAD BEEN INCREASED TO 43.0. FAA INSPECTOR RIDING JUMP SEAT CHKED WITH OPS AND A SECOND FP WAS HASTILY DELIVERED TO COCKPIT AFTER SCHEDULED DEP TIME. A CHK WAS MADE OF THE TKOF WT AND A PUSH BACK WAS STARTED. AT THE SAME TIME I NOTED, THE FUEL HAD GONE TO 45.1 ON THE NEW FP. COMPARING THE NEW FUEL BURN OFF FOR FUEL WITH THE FUEL WE HAD ON BOARD I REASONED THAT PER OUR FLT OPS MANUAL WE COULD USE PART OF OUR HOLD FUEL AS CONTINGENCY FUEL TO 2/0 HRS AND NOT COMPROMISE SAFETY. TFC WAS LIGHT AT ORD AND WX WAS VFR AT PHX WITH NO ALTERNATE ON FLT PLAN. SOME ISOLATED TSTMS BEING IN THE GENERAL AREA. ABOUT THE TIME ENGS WERE STARTED, OPS ADVISED US TO RETURN FOR MORE FUEL, WHICH WE DID. EXPLAINED SITUATION TO FAA INSPECTOR, ADVISED HE WOULD BE SENDING A RPT ABOUT WHAT TOOK PLACE. IN PHX SO ADVISED ME INSPECTOR HAD MADE DEROGATORY REMARK IN FRONT OF PAXS ALSO, HE HAD LEFT COCKPIT WITHOUT ADVISING ANYONE AND WAS READING A MAGAZINE ENRTE.

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.