Flight crew of C441 on medivac mission departs without sufficient fuel. Returns to refuel.

Attributes
ACN	366588
Time
Date	199704
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 3000 agl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : anc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Conquest I/Conquest II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	366588
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
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	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The captain and I took off on a 2 hour round trip flight without enough fuel for our destination. We had just over 1 hour of fuel. I did not check it on the preflight. When I arrived at the airport for the flight, there was a mechanic in the airplane, so I put off checking the cockpit until he was done. At that time I assumed the airplane had already been fueled because it is standard written procedure for our company to fuel the aircraft after every flight. The captain had been at the airport for 30 mins before me, furthering my assumption that the aircraft had been fueled. I forgot to check it before we took off. From the right seat it is difficult to see the fuel gauges, but the captain noticed it about 2 mins after departure through about 3000 ft AGL. We turned around and landed back in anc to refuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF C441 ON MEDIVAC MISSION DEPARTS WITHOUT SUFFICIENT FUEL. RETURNS TO REFUEL.

Narrative: THE CAPT AND I TOOK OFF ON A 2 HR ROUND TRIP FLT WITHOUT ENOUGH FUEL FOR OUR DEST. WE HAD JUST OVER 1 HR OF FUEL. I DID NOT CHK IT ON THE PREFLT. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE ARPT FOR THE FLT, THERE WAS A MECH IN THE AIRPLANE, SO I PUT OFF CHKING THE COCKPIT UNTIL HE WAS DONE. AT THAT TIME I ASSUMED THE AIRPLANE HAD ALREADY BEEN FUELED BECAUSE IT IS STANDARD WRITTEN PROC FOR OUR COMPANY TO FUEL THE ACFT AFTER EVERY FLT. THE CAPT HAD BEEN AT THE ARPT FOR 30 MINS BEFORE ME, FURTHERING MY ASSUMPTION THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN FUELED. I FORGOT TO CHK IT BEFORE WE TOOK OFF. FROM THE R SEAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE THE FUEL GAUGES, BUT THE CAPT NOTICED IT ABOUT 2 MINS AFTER DEP THROUGH ABOUT 3000 FT AGL. WE TURNED AROUND AND LANDED BACK IN ANC TO REFUEL.

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.