Narrative:

When I boarded our aircraft (following an aircraft change), I looked at the fuel totalizer to verify the plane had been fueled. I noticed the figure was about 700 pounds less than the 'required fuel' listed on the flight plan. Many times, the totalizer will be somewhat different than the calculated load -- gallons added, fuel on board at beginning -- which determines our 'real' fuel load (in this case approximately 108000 pounds). Since we were quite heavy, approaching performance limits, I determined to wait until the so did his calculation before I called the fuelers to add the 700 pounds in question. In the hustle of getting out, I didn't follow up. Around etp the so showed me an ACARS message from dispatch he received on our pushback stating our fuel was 700 pounds low. He said he called on UHF, and dispatch said 'if it's ok with the captain, it's ok with us.' he 'took care of it.' when asked why he didn't inform me, he said he was afraid I would go back in for fuel and take a delay. I was rather upset (understatement). While I should have followed up on the calculation, having the so intentionally withhold messages and then acting on them without consulting me was inexcusable. Cockpit resource management can't possibly work unless information is passed freely when it is obtained.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB DOES NOT HAVE PROPER FUEL LOAD, DEPARTS AND IS NOTIFIED BY DISPATCH.

Narrative: WHEN I BOARDED OUR ACFT (FOLLOWING AN ACFT CHANGE), I LOOKED AT THE FUEL TOTALIZER TO VERIFY THE PLANE HAD BEEN FUELED. I NOTICED THE FIGURE WAS ABOUT 700 LBS LESS THAN THE 'REQUIRED FUEL' LISTED ON THE FLT PLAN. MANY TIMES, THE TOTALIZER WILL BE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT THAN THE CALCULATED LOAD -- GALLONS ADDED, FUEL ON BOARD AT BEGINNING -- WHICH DETERMINES OUR 'REAL' FUEL LOAD (IN THIS CASE APPROX 108000 LBS). SINCE WE WERE QUITE HVY, APCHING PERFORMANCE LIMITS, I DETERMINED TO WAIT UNTIL THE SO DID HIS CALCULATION BEFORE I CALLED THE FUELERS TO ADD THE 700 LBS IN QUESTION. IN THE HUSTLE OF GETTING OUT, I DIDN'T FOLLOW UP. AROUND ETP THE SO SHOWED ME AN ACARS MESSAGE FROM DISPATCH HE RECEIVED ON OUR PUSHBACK STATING OUR FUEL WAS 700 LBS LOW. HE SAID HE CALLED ON UHF, AND DISPATCH SAID 'IF IT'S OK WITH THE CAPT, IT'S OK WITH US.' HE 'TOOK CARE OF IT.' WHEN ASKED WHY HE DIDN'T INFORM ME, HE SAID HE WAS AFRAID I WOULD GO BACK IN FOR FUEL AND TAKE A DELAY. I WAS RATHER UPSET (UNDERSTATEMENT). WHILE I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED UP ON THE CALCULATION, HAVING THE SO INTENTIONALLY WITHHOLD MESSAGES AND THEN ACTING ON THEM WITHOUT CONSULTING ME WAS INEXCUSABLE. COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT CAN'T POSSIBLY WORK UNLESS INFO IS PASSED FREELY WHEN IT IS OBTAINED.

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.