Narrative:

After takeoff, left and total fuel quantity gauges went blank (overhead) with a lower EICAS message fuel quantity indication. After unsuccessful troubleshooting, returned to jfk. Maintenance determined the gauges were inoperative, placarded them, and refueled the aircraft per the MEL (dripstick). The relief first officer participated in the dripstick measurement after refueling per the MEL and operations manual section 14, and encouraged the refueler to use more than 1 dripstick. On takeoff the 2ND time (with inoperative left and total gauges), the fuel confign light illuminated and the aircraft required some left rudder and aileron to maintain runway heading. Also on initial climb out the left and total gauges went from blank to an indication of left=24+-C=13+right=40+- & T=76+. Although the gauges had been placarded inoperative the indications made sense based on the control inputs required. While the imbalance was manageable, it was a new condition from the previous takeoff, so the fuel total of 76 or so and the imbalance of 16 or so was believable. In the interest of safety, it was determined that even though 76000 gals may not be the correct amount aboard, there was a definite imbalance and returning to land was the more prudent approach. We burned down to a more manageable total weight and balance condition and landed. Supplemental information from acn 313077: upon returning to the aircraft, I was informed by maintenance personnel that the left tank was already full and the vehicle with the hydraulic platform had departed. Upon my informing the individual that I was new on the airplane and had never performed or observed this procedure and to explain in detail how he arrived at his values. I accompanied him on top of the platform. We pulled the dripstick and followed the chart to the total of approximately 40700 pounds. I requested we pull 2 additional sticks. I felt confident that the left tank in fact had 40700 pounds of fuel. I relayed this information to the captain. During our 2ND takeoff of the day for lhr, on the takeoff roll the fuel confign light illuminated and the placarded failed gauges unblanked and indicated an imbalance. The captain noted an associated lateral control problem. We burned down to a manageable total weight and balance and landed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information on 313059: this captain was flying a B767-300ER when he experienced his fuel gauge problem. He did fly long enough in the local area to balance the fuel before making the 2ND landing. He has inquired several times about the findings of the company investigation, but they have not responded. He still does not know how the maintenance personnel and the relief pilot could have concluded that the left tank had approximately 40000 pounds of fuel. The dripsticks do require the correct usage of the fuel charts and misinterp may lead to gross error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB -- ACR FUEL GAUGES MALFUNCTIONED AND THE FUEL WAS IMPROPERLY LOADED USING THE DRIPSTICK MEASURING TECHNIQUE.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, L AND TOTAL FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES WENT BLANK (OVERHEAD) WITH A LOWER EICAS MESSAGE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION. AFTER UNSUCCESSFUL TROUBLESHOOTING, RETURNED TO JFK. MAINT DETERMINED THE GAUGES WERE INOP, PLACARDED THEM, AND REFUELED THE ACFT PER THE MEL (DRIPSTICK). THE RELIEF FO PARTICIPATED IN THE DRIPSTICK MEASUREMENT AFTER REFUELING PER THE MEL AND OPS MANUAL SECTION 14, AND ENCOURAGED THE REFUELER TO USE MORE THAN 1 DRIPSTICK. ON TKOF THE 2ND TIME (WITH INOP L AND TOTAL GAUGES), THE FUEL CONFIGN LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ACFT REQUIRED SOME L RUDDER AND AILERON TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG. ALSO ON INITIAL CLB OUT THE L AND TOTAL GAUGES WENT FROM BLANK TO AN INDICATION OF L=24+-C=13+R=40+- & T=76+. ALTHOUGH THE GAUGES HAD BEEN PLACARDED INOP THE INDICATIONS MADE SENSE BASED ON THE CTL INPUTS REQUIRED. WHILE THE IMBALANCE WAS MANAGEABLE, IT WAS A NEW CONDITION FROM THE PREVIOUS TKOF, SO THE FUEL TOTAL OF 76 OR SO AND THE IMBALANCE OF 16 OR SO WAS BELIEVABLE. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT EVEN THOUGH 76000 GALS MAY NOT BE THE CORRECT AMOUNT ABOARD, THERE WAS A DEFINITE IMBALANCE AND RETURNING TO LAND WAS THE MORE PRUDENT APCH. WE BURNED DOWN TO A MORE MANAGEABLE TOTAL WT AND BAL CONDITION AND LANDED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 313077: UPON RETURNING TO THE ACFT, I WAS INFORMED BY MAINT PERSONNEL THAT THE L TANK WAS ALREADY FULL AND THE VEHICLE WITH THE HYD PLATFORM HAD DEPARTED. UPON MY INFORMING THE INDIVIDUAL THAT I WAS NEW ON THE AIRPLANE AND HAD NEVER PERFORMED OR OBSERVED THIS PROC AND TO EXPLAIN IN DETAIL HOW HE ARRIVED AT HIS VALUES. I ACCOMPANIED HIM ON TOP OF THE PLATFORM. WE PULLED THE DRIPSTICK AND FOLLOWED THE CHART TO THE TOTAL OF APPROX 40700 LBS. I REQUESTED WE PULL 2 ADDITIONAL STICKS. I FELT CONFIDENT THAT THE L TANK IN FACT HAD 40700 LBS OF FUEL. I RELAYED THIS INFO TO THE CAPT. DURING OUR 2ND TKOF OF THE DAY FOR LHR, ON THE TKOF ROLL THE FUEL CONFIGN LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE PLACARDED FAILED GAUGES UNBLANKED AND INDICATED AN IMBALANCE. THE CAPT NOTED AN ASSOCIATED LATERAL CTL PROB. WE BURNED DOWN TO A MANAGEABLE TOTAL WT AND BAL AND LANDED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO ON 313059: THIS CAPT WAS FLYING A B767-300ER WHEN HE EXPERIENCED HIS FUEL GAUGE PROB. HE DID FLY LONG ENOUGH IN THE LCL AREA TO BAL THE FUEL BEFORE MAKING THE 2ND LNDG. HE HAS INQUIRED SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE FINDINGS OF THE COMPANY INVESTIGATION, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED. HE STILL DOES NOT KNOW HOW THE MAINT PERSONNEL AND THE RELIEF PLT COULD HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE L TANK HAD APPROX 40000 LBS OF FUEL. THE DRIPSTICKS DO REQUIRE THE CORRECT USAGE OF THE FUEL CHARTS AND MISINTERP MAY LEAD TO GROSS ERROR.

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.