Narrative:

Air carrier changed its policy as far as a fuel slip, required to be presented to the captain before pushback from the gate. We supposedly refueled in pit to fly to lex as flight number X. The agent asked if we had 15100 pounds for our release fuel. I tested the gauges, the first officer confirmed the amount correct, I confirmed the amount as 15100 pounds and we left. We arrived in lex. During shutdown to ground power, one of our power transfer relay switches hung up causing our fuel gauges to become erratic and the ACARS system to become inoperative. We submitted a piece of paper to the gate agent in lex with our arrival times and fuel remaining of 5100 pounds. We were on a minimum overnight and I elected to solve any more of this problem in the morning before departure. When we arrived at the airplane, the fueler told us that there was only 2800-2900 pounds of fuel on board. We pwred up the aircraft, which took longer than normal because of the relays sticking, but there was not any change in the fuel gauges. The amount of fuel that the fueler put on the plane plus the amount of fuel on the gauges equaled our release fuel. The airplane electrical system finally stabilized, our fuel load checked normally and we flew to pit without any more problems. We notified the next crew that we had this electrical and fuel problem. We elected not to write up any of the problem in the logbook because everything was operating normally, but did want the next crew to know of our situation as a precautionary measure. We believe that if a fuel slip was once again required before departure, that that would pull the fueler back into the 'loop' and there would be a check and balance situation with the gauges. The only check that we have now is a checklist to look at and test the gauges. If the gauges say that the correct fuel load is showing, then you go. We did the correct procedure, we had 15100 pounds, we went. I don't believe the proper fuel was on the plane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG PLT COMPLAINS ABOUT HIS COMPANY'S NEW REFUELING PROC.

Narrative: ACR CHANGED ITS POLICY AS FAR AS A FUEL SLIP, REQUIRED TO BE PRESENTED TO THE CAPT BEFORE PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE. WE SUPPOSEDLY REFUELED IN PIT TO FLY TO LEX AS FLT NUMBER X. THE AGENT ASKED IF WE HAD 15100 LBS FOR OUR RELEASE FUEL. I TESTED THE GAUGES, THE FO CONFIRMED THE AMOUNT CORRECT, I CONFIRMED THE AMOUNT AS 15100 LBS AND WE LEFT. WE ARRIVED IN LEX. DURING SHUTDOWN TO GND PWR, ONE OF OUR PWR TRANSFER RELAY SWITCHES HUNG UP CAUSING OUR FUEL GAUGES TO BECOME ERRATIC AND THE ACARS SYS TO BECOME INOP. WE SUBMITTED A PIECE OF PAPER TO THE GATE AGENT IN LEX WITH OUR ARR TIMES AND FUEL REMAINING OF 5100 LBS. WE WERE ON A MINIMUM OVERNIGHT AND I ELECTED TO SOLVE ANY MORE OF THIS PROB IN THE MORNING BEFORE DEP. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE AIRPLANE, THE FUELER TOLD US THAT THERE WAS ONLY 2800-2900 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD. WE PWRED UP THE ACFT, WHICH TOOK LONGER THAN NORMAL BECAUSE OF THE RELAYS STICKING, BUT THERE WAS NOT ANY CHANGE IN THE FUEL GAUGES. THE AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT THE FUELER PUT ON THE PLANE PLUS THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON THE GAUGES EQUALED OUR RELEASE FUEL. THE AIRPLANE ELECTRICAL SYS FINALLY STABILIZED, OUR FUEL LOAD CHKED NORMALLY AND WE FLEW TO PIT WITHOUT ANY MORE PROBS. WE NOTIFIED THE NEXT CREW THAT WE HAD THIS ELECTRICAL AND FUEL PROB. WE ELECTED NOT TO WRITE UP ANY OF THE PROB IN THE LOGBOOK BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS OPERATING NORMALLY, BUT DID WANT THE NEXT CREW TO KNOW OF OUR SIT AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. WE BELIEVE THAT IF A FUEL SLIP WAS ONCE AGAIN REQUIRED BEFORE DEP, THAT THAT WOULD PULL THE FUELER BACK INTO THE 'LOOP' AND THERE WOULD BE A CHK AND BAL SIT WITH THE GAUGES. THE ONLY CHK THAT WE HAVE NOW IS A CHKLIST TO LOOK AT AND TEST THE GAUGES. IF THE GAUGES SAY THAT THE CORRECT FUEL LOAD IS SHOWING, THEN YOU GO. WE DID THE CORRECT PROC, WE HAD 15100 LBS, WE WENT. I DON'T BELIEVE THE PROPER FUEL WAS ON THE PLANE.

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.