Narrative:

Problem started when we returned to the gate (27 min taxi time -- never took off) for a mechanical problem. The mechanical problem was taken care of and we were ready to push. I then realized we were below legal minimum fuel (23800 pounds to oma with ict alternate and 2500 pounds extra) I read the gauges at 23400 pounds and called dispatch to amend the minimum release fuel on flight release to 23400 pounds (taking the fuel from the extra). After takeoff and out of 10000 ft I called company with times and fuel. It was then I realized we had less than what I thought. I re- figured our fuel and we would have 1500 pounds above legal requirements. Then continued on to oma and landed. WX was 1900 ft overcast and 10 mi. Safety was never a problem as we were fueled with so much extra fuel, but I misread the fuel gauges and left with less than I thought I had. I believe stress and not so much fatigue (awake for 10 hours) was the contributing factor. In the last 2 yrs our new management has been using harassment as an excuse for leadership. We all are being pushed to the limits because we are understaffed (poor planning) and I am finding myself making mistakes I never used to make. The scheduling at this air carrier is deplorable. We have gone to management and showed them how unsafe many of our pairings are (applying the NASA guidelines) and we are ignored. The only thing they care about is whether or not the schedule is legal. Safety is not a concern of theirs. This style of scheduling has been going on for many yrs, but the last yr has been especially onerous. For the past yr the pilots have been pushed near the maximum flight times because management would not call back furloughed pilots when we told them it was necessary. I am past redline and there is no relief in sight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CAPT MISREAD FUEL GAUGES AND DEPARTED WITH LESS THAN LEGAL FUEL. ACFT HAD ENGS RUNNING FOR 27 MINS ON THE GND AND RETURNED TO GATE WITH MECHANICAL PROB. IT WAS FIXED AND ACFT DEPARTED WITH LESS THAN LEGAL FUEL.

Narrative: PROB STARTED WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE GATE (27 MIN TAXI TIME -- NEVER TOOK OFF) FOR A MECHANICAL PROB. THE MECHANICAL PROB WAS TAKEN CARE OF AND WE WERE READY TO PUSH. I THEN REALIZED WE WERE BELOW LEGAL MINIMUM FUEL (23800 LBS TO OMA WITH ICT ALTERNATE AND 2500 LBS EXTRA) I READ THE GAUGES AT 23400 LBS AND CALLED DISPATCH TO AMEND THE MINIMUM RELEASE FUEL ON FLT RELEASE TO 23400 LBS (TAKING THE FUEL FROM THE EXTRA). AFTER TKOF AND OUT OF 10000 FT I CALLED COMPANY WITH TIMES AND FUEL. IT WAS THEN I REALIZED WE HAD LESS THAN WHAT I THOUGHT. I RE- FIGURED OUR FUEL AND WE WOULD HAVE 1500 LBS ABOVE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. THEN CONTINUED ON TO OMA AND LANDED. WX WAS 1900 FT OVCST AND 10 MI. SAFETY WAS NEVER A PROB AS WE WERE FUELED WITH SO MUCH EXTRA FUEL, BUT I MISREAD THE FUEL GAUGES AND LEFT WITH LESS THAN I THOUGHT I HAD. I BELIEVE STRESS AND NOT SO MUCH FATIGUE (AWAKE FOR 10 HRS) WAS THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. IN THE LAST 2 YRS OUR NEW MGMNT HAS BEEN USING HARASSMENT AS AN EXCUSE FOR LEADERSHIP. WE ALL ARE BEING PUSHED TO THE LIMITS BECAUSE WE ARE UNDERSTAFFED (POOR PLANNING) AND I AM FINDING MYSELF MAKING MISTAKES I NEVER USED TO MAKE. THE SCHEDULING AT THIS ACR IS DEPLORABLE. WE HAVE GONE TO MGMNT AND SHOWED THEM HOW UNSAFE MANY OF OUR PAIRINGS ARE (APPLYING THE NASA GUIDELINES) AND WE ARE IGNORED. THE ONLY THING THEY CARE ABOUT IS WHETHER OR NOT THE SCHEDULE IS LEGAL. SAFETY IS NOT A CONCERN OF THEIRS. THIS STYLE OF SCHEDULING HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY YRS, BUT THE LAST YR HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY ONEROUS. FOR THE PAST YR THE PLTS HAVE BEEN PUSHED NEAR THE MAX FLT TIMES BECAUSE MGMNT WOULD NOT CALL BACK FURLOUGHED PLTS WHEN WE TOLD THEM IT WAS NECESSARY. I AM PAST REDLINE AND THERE IS NO RELIEF IN SIGHT.

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.