Return land mandated by air carrier mdt being low on fuel.

Attributes
ACN	290990
Time
Date	199412
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roa
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Route In Use	enroute airway : roa
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	290990
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

2 early morning departures and many legs, poor WX added to my fatigue. We were running late all day due to poor WX. At roa we needed a quick turn to get back on time. After shutdown check, captain went inside operations to warm up his soup. I stayed onboard to get new ATIS and clearance and do appropriate paperwork. Captain returned and noticed fueler disconnecting truck. We proceeded with turn around checklist. After departing roa and starting after takeoff flow, captain realized we were 1000 pounds shy on fuel -- below minimum fuel. We elected to return to roa and fill up, an unscheduled landing. Neither of us remember doing that part of checklist. Although we know we did it because remember other parts of checklist. I feel fatigue, being in a hurry (quickturn), and assumption (fueler hooked up, fueler disconnected/we know we have fuel) all led to this mistake. Our company procedure does not call for first officer to verify fuel quantity, but from now on I'll ask/respond checks after fuel callout. I will verify the quantity with dispatch release.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RETURN LAND MANDATED BY ACR MDT BEING LOW ON FUEL.

Narrative: 2 EARLY MORNING DEPS AND MANY LEGS, POOR WX ADDED TO MY FATIGUE. WE WERE RUNNING LATE ALL DAY DUE TO POOR WX. AT ROA WE NEEDED A QUICK TURN TO GET BACK ON TIME. AFTER SHUTDOWN CHK, CAPT WENT INSIDE OPS TO WARM UP HIS SOUP. I STAYED ONBOARD TO GET NEW ATIS AND CLRNC AND DO APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK. CAPT RETURNED AND NOTICED FUELER DISCONNECTING TRUCK. WE PROCEEDED WITH TURN AROUND CHKLIST. AFTER DEPARTING ROA AND STARTING AFTER TKOF FLOW, CAPT REALIZED WE WERE 1000 LBS SHY ON FUEL -- BELOW MINIMUM FUEL. WE ELECTED TO RETURN TO ROA AND FILL UP, AN UNSCHEDULED LNDG. NEITHER OF US REMEMBER DOING THAT PART OF CHKLIST. ALTHOUGH WE KNOW WE DID IT BECAUSE REMEMBER OTHER PARTS OF CHKLIST. I FEEL FATIGUE, BEING IN A HURRY (QUICKTURN), AND ASSUMPTION (FUELER HOOKED UP, FUELER DISCONNECTED/WE KNOW WE HAVE FUEL) ALL LED TO THIS MISTAKE. OUR COMPANY PROC DOES NOT CALL FOR FO TO VERIFY FUEL QUANTITY, BUT FROM NOW ON I'LL ASK/RESPOND CHKS AFTER FUEL CALLOUT. I WILL VERIFY THE QUANTITY WITH DISPATCH RELEASE.

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.