BA31 was distraction by van moving in the gate area spilling fuel during completion of the checklist...

Attributes
ACN	370145
Time
Date	199705
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	370145
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Arrived at airfield on time at XA00. Went into operations, received release and WX. Returned to aircraft to prepare for departure. While getting clearance, I noticed a van pulling into the gate next to ours pouring fuel out of its fuel filler hole. I told this to clearance, which as been happening the last few weeks, did not have the saturday departure clearance. As I waited for clearance I did the before start to the line checklist. 2 items from the bottom, I watched as crash fire rescue equipment pulled quickly in to my gate, then went over to where the van was that had spilled the fuel. Checklist forgotten, I had the passenger board the aircraft, started engines and taxi to runway. As the gear retracted I looked at the fuel gauges and realized I hadn't received fuel, and did not have enough to my destination. Returned to field without incident and got the necessary fuel. The last item of the before start to the line checklist is to check fuel quantity. Due to distraction and lack of sleep the night before I forgot to finish my checklist. Very easy to do, very bad to do. Usually if interrupted in my checklist, I start over, but this time I didn't. Nothing bad happened except a broken ego. It could have been the flaps I forgot. Checklists are there for a reason, one that shouldn't be neglected.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BA31 WAS DISTR BY VAN MOVING IN THE GATE AREA SPILLING FUEL DURING COMPLETION OF THE CHKLIST. FIRE TRUCKS ARRIVED AND PLT FAILED TO COMPLETE CHKLIST. WHEN AIRBORNE REALIZED HAD NOT BEEN FUELED AND NOT ENOUGH FUEL ON BOARD TO CONTINUE. RETURN LAND FOR FUEL.

Narrative: ARRIVED AT AIRFIELD ON TIME AT XA00. WENT INTO OPS, RECEIVED RELEASE AND WX. RETURNED TO ACFT TO PREPARE FOR DEP. WHILE GETTING CLRNC, I NOTICED A VAN PULLING INTO THE GATE NEXT TO OURS POURING FUEL OUT OF ITS FUEL FILLER HOLE. I TOLD THIS TO CLRNC, WHICH AS BEEN HAPPENING THE LAST FEW WKS, DID NOT HAVE THE SATURDAY DEP CLRNC. AS I WAITED FOR CLRNC I DID THE BEFORE START TO THE LINE CHKLIST. 2 ITEMS FROM THE BOTTOM, I WATCHED AS CFR PULLED QUICKLY IN TO MY GATE, THEN WENT OVER TO WHERE THE VAN WAS THAT HAD SPILLED THE FUEL. CHKLIST FORGOTTEN, I HAD THE PAX BOARD THE ACFT, STARTED ENGS AND TAXI TO RWY. AS THE GEAR RETRACTED I LOOKED AT THE FUEL GAUGES AND REALIZED I HADN'T RECEIVED FUEL, AND DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO MY DEST. RETURNED TO FIELD WITHOUT INCIDENT AND GOT THE NECESSARY FUEL. THE LAST ITEM OF THE BEFORE START TO THE LINE CHKLIST IS TO CHK FUEL QUANTITY. DUE TO DISTR AND LACK OF SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE I FORGOT TO FINISH MY CHKLIST. VERY EASY TO DO, VERY BAD TO DO. USUALLY IF INTERRUPTED IN MY CHKLIST, I START OVER, BUT THIS TIME I DIDN'T. NOTHING BAD HAPPENED EXCEPT A BROKEN EGO. IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE FLAPS I FORGOT. CHKLISTS ARE THERE FOR A REASON, ONE THAT SHOULDN'T BE NEGLECTED.

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.

BA31 was distraction by van moving in the gate area spilling fuel during completion of the checklist. Fire trucks arrived and pilot failed to complete checklist. When airborne realized had not been fueled and not enough fuel on board to continue. Return land for fuel.