Narrative:

I was acting as first officer on an airlines flight from boston to ottawa. As I was performing my preflight inspection, the aircraft was being fueled. I boarded the aircraft and began my paperwork for the flight. I checked the dispatch release and noticed we were planned for 3600 pounds of fuel with 3300 pounds being our minimum fuel. I looked at the fuel gauges and wrote down that there was 3600 pounds of fuel on board. In fact, there was only 2600 pounds of fuel. The captain arrived to begin the before starting engine checklist which has an item that asks to check fuel quantity, balance, light, and door. The checklist is not required to be challenge and response, if the first officer is busy with other duties related to the flight. The captain asked me if the fuel door was closed and the propeller was clear. We received our clearance to start the engines. As we taxied from the gate, we proceeded with the taxi checklist (which must be challenge/response). At the fuel quantity item, we noticed that there was only 2600 pounds of fuel on board. We immediately turned around to get more fuel. We fueled up to 3600 pounds and then departed. Factors that led to this were: miscom between company operations and the fuelers. Also, between the fuelers and flight crew. And also, for the crew to be more observant to the fuel gauges and to check them more carefully before departure. I recommend that all the persons mentioned above should work hard to communicate their intentions and for the flight crew to use better CRM to avoid this from occurring again, and to have the crew check the quantity together during the before starting engine checklist.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR SAAB 340B CREW LEFT THE GATE WITH 2600 LBS OF FUEL. THE FLT REQUIRED 3600 LBS AND THE MINIMUM FOR DISPATCH WAS 3300 LBS. ERROR ADMITTED. THE FLC DID NOT CHK THE FUEL CAREFULLY UNTIL THEY WERE TAXIING TFC.

Narrative: I WAS ACTING AS FO ON AN AIRLINES FLT FROM BOSTON TO OTTAWA. AS I WAS PERFORMING MY PREFLT INSPECTION, THE ACFT WAS BEING FUELED. I BOARDED THE ACFT AND BEGAN MY PAPERWORK FOR THE FLT. I CHKED THE DISPATCH RELEASE AND NOTICED WE WERE PLANNED FOR 3600 LBS OF FUEL WITH 3300 LBS BEING OUR MINIMUM FUEL. I LOOKED AT THE FUEL GAUGES AND WROTE DOWN THAT THERE WAS 3600 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD. IN FACT, THERE WAS ONLY 2600 LBS OF FUEL. THE CAPT ARRIVED TO BEGIN THE BEFORE STARTING ENG CHKLIST WHICH HAS AN ITEM THAT ASKS TO CHK FUEL QUANTITY, BAL, LIGHT, AND DOOR. THE CHKLIST IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE CHALLENGE AND RESPONSE, IF THE FO IS BUSY WITH OTHER DUTIES RELATED TO THE FLT. THE CAPT ASKED ME IF THE FUEL DOOR WAS CLOSED AND THE PROP WAS CLR. WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC TO START THE ENGS. AS WE TAXIED FROM THE GATE, WE PROCEEDED WITH THE TAXI CHKLIST (WHICH MUST BE CHALLENGE/RESPONSE). AT THE FUEL QUANTITY ITEM, WE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS ONLY 2600 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD. WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND TO GET MORE FUEL. WE FUELED UP TO 3600 LBS AND THEN DEPARTED. FACTORS THAT LED TO THIS WERE: MISCOM BTWN COMPANY OPS AND THE FUELERS. ALSO, BTWN THE FUELERS AND FLC. AND ALSO, FOR THE CREW TO BE MORE OBSERVANT TO THE FUEL GAUGES AND TO CHK THEM MORE CAREFULLY BEFORE DEP. I RECOMMEND THAT ALL THE PERSONS MENTIONED ABOVE SHOULD WORK HARD TO COMMUNICATE THEIR INTENTIONS AND FOR THE FLC TO USE BETTER CRM TO AVOID THIS FROM OCCURRING AGAIN, AND TO HAVE THE CREW CHK THE QUANTITY TOGETHER DURING THE BEFORE STARTING ENG CHKLIST.

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.