Narrative:

The before start checklist was called for and executed and we departed tlh. We requested and received a climb to 16000 ft. Aircraft performance had deteriorated to approximately 100 FPM climb. The performance became so poor, we requested and received descent clearance to 12000 ft MSL. During the descent to 12000 MSL, I looked down at the engine gauges, and noticed the fuel quantity readings were low, (approximately 450 pounds per side). I immediately questioned the captain as to the status of our fuel quantity. He looked and agreed to the low fuel situation. I said 'we must have a fuel leak.' he asked me how far from csg we were. The DME indicated we were 35 NM out. The captain told ZTL we had a fuel problem, possibly a leak or a gauge irregularity. ZTL asked us what our intentions were. He replied, 'we want to go to the csg airport.' ZTL asked us if we wanted to declare an emergency, and the captain replied 'yes.' we were given a heading of 270 degrees direct to csg. Our flight was handed off to approach control. Approach told us emergency equipment was standing by on the airport. The captain told them emergency equipment was not necessary, because the cockpit gauges were stable, leading us to believe there was no fuel leak. We were cleared for a straight in visual approach. The captain and I checked the fuel quantity with the magnasticks. They confirmed the fuel gauges in the cockpit. A total of 700 pounds fuel was on board. We looked for a fuel leak in either wing tank, but could not find one. We added the fuel used en route bna-tlh, the fuel totalizer figure en route from tlh-csg, and the fuel currently on board, equaling a total of 3120 pounds. Captain and I assumed we left tlh without obtaining additional fuel, because we left bna with 3000 pounds. The captain called flight dispatch and tlh operations, confirming no fuel was loaded in tlh.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT CREW DIVERTS TO CSG WHEN THEY DISCOVER THEY ARE LOW ON FUEL.

Narrative: THE BEFORE START CHKLIST WAS CALLED FOR AND EXECUTED AND WE DEPARTED TLH. WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A CLB TO 16000 FT. ACFT PERFORMANCE HAD DETERIORATED TO APPROX 100 FPM CLB. THE PERFORMANCE BECAME SO POOR, WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED DSCNT CLRNC TO 12000 FT MSL. DURING THE DSCNT TO 12000 MSL, I LOOKED DOWN AT THE ENG GAUGES, AND NOTICED THE FUEL QUANTITY READINGS WERE LOW, (APPROX 450 POUNDS PER SIDE). I IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED THE CAPT AS TO THE STATUS OF OUR FUEL QUANTITY. HE LOOKED AND AGREED TO THE LOW FUEL SITUATION. I SAID 'WE MUST HAVE A FUEL LEAK.' HE ASKED ME HOW FAR FROM CSG WE WERE. THE DME INDICATED WE WERE 35 NM OUT. THE CAPT TOLD ZTL WE HAD A FUEL PROBLEM, POSSIBLY A LEAK OR A GAUGE IRREGULARITY. ZTL ASKED US WHAT OUR INTENTIONS WERE. HE REPLIED, 'WE WANT TO GO TO THE CSG ARPT.' ZTL ASKED US IF WE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER, AND THE CAPT REPLIED 'YES.' WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 270 DEGS DIRECT TO CSG. OUR FLT WAS HANDED OFF TO APCH CTL. APCH TOLD US EMER EQUIP WAS STANDING BY ON THE ARPT. THE CAPT TOLD THEM EMER EQUIP WAS NOT NECESSARY, BECAUSE THE COCKPIT GAUGES WERE STABLE, LEADING US TO BELIEVE THERE WAS NO FUEL LEAK. WE WERE CLRED FOR A STRAIGHT IN VISUAL APCH. THE CAPT AND I CHKED THE FUEL QUANTITY WITH THE MAGNASTICKS. THEY CONFIRMED THE FUEL GAUGES IN THE COCKPIT. A TOTAL OF 700 POUNDS FUEL WAS ON BOARD. WE LOOKED FOR A FUEL LEAK IN EITHER WING TANK, BUT COULD NOT FIND ONE. WE ADDED THE FUEL USED ENRTE BNA-TLH, THE FUEL TOTALIZER FIGURE ENRTE FROM TLH-CSG, AND THE FUEL CURRENTLY ON BOARD, EQUALING A TOTAL OF 3120 POUNDS. CAPT AND I ASSUMED WE LEFT TLH WITHOUT OBTAINING ADDITIONAL FUEL, BECAUSE WE LEFT BNA WITH 3000 POUNDS. THE CAPT CALLED FLT DISPATCH AND TLH OPS, CONFIRMING NO FUEL WAS LOADED IN TLH.

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.