An air carrier widebody transport freighter flight crew departs without enough fuel when the aircraf...

Attributes
ACN	377962
Time
Date	199708
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tim
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : sbbk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	377962
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure 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:

Fuel quantity indicator #2 main -- inoperative. Fuel totalizer indication was unreliable. So mistakenly gave refueler trip fuel burn (140000 pounds) for ramp fuel (172800 pounds). So mistakenly entered weight and balance form as fuel on board 172800 pounds. So mistakenly answered checklist item as fuel on board 172800 pounds. Fuel loading form should be presented to captain for verification with flight plan and weight and balance form. After establishing cruise power, I noticed that aircraft kept gaining speed. It increased to .856 mach through .86 mach versus .84 mach. I checked all parameters and came to suspect a fuel leak. Requested the so check fuel quantity. He checked it against fuel burn and it was too heavy to increase mach speed. Then he checked again and fuel quantity was about 110000 pounds which was too low. Then he informed of his mistake. I called upon the flight mechanic to confirm fuel requested. He stated 140000 pounds. Immediately notified dispatch, requested WX for brasilia and manaus. Finding out that brasilia had no fueler for us, decided to inform belem center that preparations to divert to manaus were expected. Dispatch cleared to mao, belem center had the necessary clearance when informed. Landed with 610000 pounds approximately. As requested by company overweight landing inspection was performed and landing was soft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR WDB FREIGHTER FLC DEPARTS WITHOUT ENOUGH FUEL WHEN THE ACFT IS LOADED WITH FUEL BASED ON FUEL BURN ONLY AND NOT REQUIRED RESERVES. THE CAPT DIVERTS AS SOON AS HE RECOGNIZES THE ERROR.

Narrative: FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR #2 MAIN -- INOP. FUEL TOTALIZER INDICATION WAS UNRELIABLE. SO MISTAKENLY GAVE REFUELER TRIP FUEL BURN (140000 LBS) FOR RAMP FUEL (172800 LBS). SO MISTAKENLY ENTERED WT AND BAL FORM AS FUEL ON BOARD 172800 LBS. SO MISTAKENLY ANSWERED CHKLIST ITEM AS FUEL ON BOARD 172800 LBS. FUEL LOADING FORM SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO CAPT FOR VERIFICATION WITH FLT PLAN AND WT AND BAL FORM. AFTER ESTABLISHING CRUISE PWR, I NOTICED THAT ACFT KEPT GAINING SPD. IT INCREASED TO .856 MACH THROUGH .86 MACH VERSUS .84 MACH. I CHKED ALL PARAMETERS AND CAME TO SUSPECT A FUEL LEAK. REQUESTED THE SO CHK FUEL QUANTITY. HE CHKED IT AGAINST FUEL BURN AND IT WAS TOO HVY TO INCREASE MACH SPD. THEN HE CHKED AGAIN AND FUEL QUANTITY WAS ABOUT 110000 LBS WHICH WAS TOO LOW. THEN HE INFORMED OF HIS MISTAKE. I CALLED UPON THE FLT MECH TO CONFIRM FUEL REQUESTED. HE STATED 140000 LBS. IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED DISPATCH, REQUESTED WX FOR BRASILIA AND MANAUS. FINDING OUT THAT BRASILIA HAD NO FUELER FOR US, DECIDED TO INFORM BELEM CTR THAT PREPARATIONS TO DIVERT TO MANAUS WERE EXPECTED. DISPATCH CLRED TO MAO, BELEM CTR HAD THE NECESSARY CLRNC WHEN INFORMED. LANDED WITH 610000 LBS APPROX. AS REQUESTED BY COMPANY OVERWT LNDG INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED AND LNDG WAS SOFT.

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.

An air carrier widebody transport freighter flight crew departs without enough fuel when the aircraft is loaded with fuel based on fuel burn only and not required reserves. The captain diverts as soon as he recognizes the error.