Narrative:

Aircraft fueling at gate is normally done. But did not put on total require quantity as he ran out or had to leave for some reason. I (captain) came in cockpit, first officer and I ran checklist and I said -- they shorted us on the fuel -- however, our company recently put out a flight operations letter saying it is ok to depart with 'up to 500 pounds fuel difference' from release fuel, as it was just under 500 pounds. I pushed back realizing we would take off with legal takeoff min fuel since there were no delays (which we did). However, as we were pushing back, the fuel truck pulled from side of the aircraft and the fueler told the mechanic. Pushing us back he had a little more fuel to put on. The mechanic asked us, 'do you have enough fuel?' I and first officer rechked and said yes and pushback continued. The reason I am writing this is because we at this airline have had many misfueling incidents. 1 aircraft departing without required fuel and one case took place at lga and involved a mechanic and pilot. Since mechanic may not know whole story (500 pounds difference allowed). I wanted to write this to classify situation if he reports something incorrectly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE RPTR DELIBERATELY TAXIED AWAY FROM THE GATE 500 LBS LESS FUEL THAN MINIMUM IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS UNDERSTANDING OF APPROVED AIRLINE COMPANY PROCS.

Narrative: ACFT FUELING AT GATE IS NORMALLY DONE. BUT DID NOT PUT ON TOTAL REQUIRE QUANTITY AS HE RAN OUT OR HAD TO LEAVE FOR SOME REASON. I (CAPT) CAME IN COCKPIT, FO AND I RAN CHKLIST AND I SAID -- THEY SHORTED US ON THE FUEL -- HOWEVER, OUR COMPANY RECENTLY PUT OUT A FLT OPS LETTER SAYING IT IS OK TO DEPART WITH 'UP TO 500 LBS FUEL DIFFERENCE' FROM RELEASE FUEL, AS IT WAS JUST UNDER 500 LBS. I PUSHED BACK REALIZING WE WOULD TAKE OFF WITH LEGAL TKOF MIN FUEL SINCE THERE WERE NO DELAYS (WHICH WE DID). HOWEVER, AS WE WERE PUSHING BACK, THE FUEL TRUCK PULLED FROM SIDE OF THE ACFT AND THE FUELER TOLD THE MECH. PUSHING US BACK HE HAD A LITTLE MORE FUEL TO PUT ON. THE MECH ASKED US, 'DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH FUEL?' I AND FO RECHKED AND SAID YES AND PUSHBACK CONTINUED. THE REASON I AM WRITING THIS IS BECAUSE WE AT THIS AIRLINE HAVE HAD MANY MISFUELING INCIDENTS. 1 ACFT DEPARTING WITHOUT REQUIRED FUEL AND ONE CASE TOOK PLACE AT LGA AND INVOLVED A MECH AND PLT. SINCE MECH MAY NOT KNOW WHOLE STORY (500 LBS DIFFERENCE ALLOWED). I WANTED TO WRITE THIS TO CLASSIFY SIT IF HE RPTS SOMETHING INCORRECTLY.

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.