Medium large transport aircraft fuel load questioned by dispatcher because wing tanks weren't filled...

Attributes
ACN	376805
Time
Date	199707
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq
State Reference	NM
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	376805
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The fueler in abq did not fuel the aircraft in accordance with the fuel slip. The fuel slip called for a standard fuel load with the wing tanks full at 9266 pounds and the remaining fuel in the center tank. The captain notified me that the fueler actually filled the wing tanks to 8700 pounds per wing with the remaining fuel in the center. I contacted the lead load agent who in turn reduced the maximum fuel weight by the amount of fuel in the center tank. The flight departed. I called the fuelers in abq and questioned why they did not fuel the aircraft in accordance with the fuel slip. The fueling agent told me they did not fill wing tanks full in the summertime in order to avoid a possible fuel spill. I also spoke with an agent in abq who also told me that this happens quite frequently. My concern with this is that with no intervention on the dispatcher or captain's part, no correction to the weight and balance calculations would be made. I am wondering if we are departing abq on occasion with incorrect figures. This is a problem that needs to be addressed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ACFT FUEL LOAD QUESTIONED BY DISPATCHER BECAUSE WING TANKS WEREN'T FILLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FUEL SLIP. LEAD LOAD AGENT EXPLAINED THAT IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER THEY DON'T FILL THE WINGS IN ORDER TO PREVENT EXPANSION AND SPILLAGE.

Narrative: THE FUELER IN ABQ DID NOT FUEL THE ACFT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FUEL SLIP. THE FUEL SLIP CALLED FOR A STANDARD FUEL LOAD WITH THE WING TANKS FULL AT 9266 LBS AND THE REMAINING FUEL IN THE CTR TANK. THE CAPT NOTIFIED ME THAT THE FUELER ACTUALLY FILLED THE WING TANKS TO 8700 LBS PER WING WITH THE REMAINING FUEL IN THE CTR. I CONTACTED THE LEAD LOAD AGENT WHO IN TURN REDUCED THE MAX FUEL WT BY THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE CTR TANK. THE FLT DEPARTED. I CALLED THE FUELERS IN ABQ AND QUESTIONED WHY THEY DID NOT FUEL THE ACFT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FUEL SLIP. THE FUELING AGENT TOLD ME THEY DID NOT FILL WING TANKS FULL IN THE SUMMERTIME IN ORDER TO AVOID A POSSIBLE FUEL SPILL. I ALSO SPOKE WITH AN AGENT IN ABQ WHO ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS HAPPENS QUITE FREQUENTLY. MY CONCERN WITH THIS IS THAT WITH NO INTERVENTION ON THE DISPATCHER OR CAPT'S PART, NO CORRECTION TO THE WT AND BAL CALCULATIONS WOULD BE MADE. I AM WONDERING IF WE ARE DEPARTING ABQ ON OCCASION WITH INCORRECT FIGURES. THIS IS A PROB THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

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.

Medium large transport aircraft fuel load questioned by dispatcher because wing tanks weren't filled in accordance with fuel slip. Lead load agent explained that in the heat of summer they don't fill the wings in order to prevent expansion and spillage.