Narrative:

I was the flight engineer on flight. Required release fuel for the flight was 25300 pounds. The cockpit fuel gauges indicted 8500 pounds, 7900 pounds and 8500 pounds. We requested an additional 400 pounds to be put in #2 tank. The fueler stated that the wing quantity gauge for no. 2 tank already indicated 8500 pounds. Since we consider the cockpit indicators to be the controling 'master' gauges, we had the fueler refuel the #2 tank. We departed the gate with 25500 pounds total on the cockpit gauges. The #2 gauge tested normal. Approaching our destination (den), we called in the discrepancy between the 2 gauges and entered it in the maintenance log as a numbered item. An FAA airworthiness inspector met the flight at the gate and wanted to know why we departed with inoperative fuel gauge without accomplishing MEL items and crew placarding. We told him we did not consider the gauge to be inoperative since it pressed to test normally and appeared in every way to be functioning normally and properly. Research to the maintenance manual revealed that the gauges (cockpit and underwing) are calibrated to within 50 pounds of each other. However, this is not printed as an operating limitation in crew member publications (OM or FM pt 1). Additionally, there is no crew member procedure or requirement to compare the 2 gauges. If crewmembers are to be held responsible for certain limitations, then they should be published in the OM.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAA ACI QUERIES FLC AS TO FUEL EQUIP PROBLEM AND VERIFICATION OF FUEL REQUIRED AS DETERMINED BY USE OF THE MEL REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative: I WAS THE FE ON FLT. REQUIRED RELEASE FUEL FOR THE FLT WAS 25300 POUNDS. THE COCKPIT FUEL GAUGES INDICTED 8500 POUNDS, 7900 POUNDS AND 8500 POUNDS. WE REQUESTED AN ADDITIONAL 400 POUNDS TO BE PUT IN #2 TANK. THE FUELER STATED THAT THE WING QUANTITY GAUGE FOR NO. 2 TANK ALREADY INDICATED 8500 POUNDS. SINCE WE CONSIDER THE COCKPIT INDICATORS TO BE THE CTLING 'MASTER' GAUGES, WE HAD THE FUELER REFUEL THE #2 TANK. WE DEPARTED THE GATE WITH 25500 POUNDS TOTAL ON THE COCKPIT GAUGES. THE #2 GAUGE TESTED NORMAL. APCHING OUR DEST (DEN), WE CALLED IN THE DISCREPANCY BTWN THE 2 GAUGES AND ENTERED IT IN THE MAINT LOG AS A NUMBERED ITEM. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR MET THE FLT AT THE GATE AND WANTED TO KNOW WHY WE DEPARTED WITH INOP FUEL GAUGE WITHOUT ACCOMPLISHING MEL ITEMS AND CREW PLACARDING. WE TOLD HIM WE DID NOT CONSIDER THE GAUGE TO BE INOP SINCE IT PRESSED TO TEST NORMALLY AND APPEARED IN EVERY WAY TO BE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY AND PROPERLY. RESEARCH TO THE MAINT MANUAL REVEALED THAT THE GAUGES (COCKPIT AND UNDERWING) ARE CALIBRATED TO WITHIN 50 POUNDS OF EACH OTHER. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT PRINTED AS AN OPERATING LIMITATION IN CREW MEMBER PUBLICATIONS (OM OR FM PT 1). ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS NO CREW MEMBER PROC OR REQUIREMENT TO COMPARE THE 2 GAUGES. IF CREWMEMBERS ARE TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR CERTAIN LIMITATIONS, THEN THEY SHOULD BE PUBLISHED IN THE OM.

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.