Air carrier medium large transport departed dca without the correct fuel load. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	192209
Time
Date	199110
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 18000
ASRS Report	192209
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	192204
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After somewhat late arrival dca while walking down jetway with agent to aircraft, agent seemed very rushed. Asked agent why. Said wanted to get flight out on original scheduled departure time so she could go home. Went to cockpit. Soon followed by agent who gave passenger count. Interrupting checklist, said goodbye and left. Agent did not confirm fuel load or no gsi's. ATC called for pushback and flight departed with first officer flying. Just after turning west on vector from departure control, first officer advised he had electrical problem with his navigation instruments showing red flags. Elected to return to dca. On checking other instruments was shocked to discover fuel gauges showed somewhat less than called for in release. Not certain but suspect fuel was approximately 3000 pounds less than called for in release. While enough to complete flight with amended release, decided to continue to landing dca due to first officer electrical/navigation problem. Maintenance MEL'ed problem, refueled and flight continued to destination. Should not have allowed myself to be rushed by agent trying to make schedule or any other reason or allowed interruption during checklist. I've learned the meaning of 'nobody can rush you but you'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DEPARTED DCA WITHOUT THE CORRECT FUEL LOAD. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: AFTER SOMEWHAT LATE ARR DCA WHILE WALKING DOWN JETWAY WITH AGENT TO ACFT, AGENT SEEMED VERY RUSHED. ASKED AGENT WHY. SAID WANTED TO GET FLT OUT ON ORIGINAL SCHEDULED DEP TIME SO SHE COULD GO HOME. WENT TO COCKPIT. SOON FOLLOWED BY AGENT WHO GAVE PAX COUNT. INTERRUPTING CHKLIST, SAID GOODBYE AND LEFT. AGENT DID NOT CONFIRM FUEL LOAD OR NO GSI'S. ATC CALLED FOR PUSHBACK AND FLT DEPARTED WITH FO FLYING. JUST AFTER TURNING W ON VECTOR FROM DEP CTL, FO ADVISED HE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH HIS NAV INSTS SHOWING RED FLAGS. ELECTED TO RETURN TO DCA. ON CHKING OTHER INSTS WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER FUEL GAUGES SHOWED SOMEWHAT LESS THAN CALLED FOR IN RELEASE. NOT CERTAIN BUT SUSPECT FUEL WAS APPROX 3000 POUNDS LESS THAN CALLED FOR IN RELEASE. WHILE ENOUGH TO COMPLETE FLT WITH AMENDED RELEASE, DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO LNDG DCA DUE TO FO ELECTRICAL/NAV PROBLEM. MAINT MEL'ED PROBLEM, REFUELED AND FLT CONTINUED TO DEST. SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE RUSHED BY AGENT TRYING TO MAKE SCHEDULE OR ANY OTHER REASON OR ALLOWED INTERRUPTION DURING CHKLIST. I'VE LEARNED THE MEANING OF 'NOBODY CAN RUSH YOU BUT YOU'.

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.