Narrative:

The B757/767 operating manual says that stick measurement of fuel by the fueler and conversion of the reading to pounds shall be monitored by a cockpit crew member. Although this page is dated 12/xx/95, it seems to be a complete surprise to maintenance management and the fuelers. On this flight I found a fuel slip in the cockpit but the fueler had departed so I could not verify the fuel stick readings per B757 operating manual. Also there were no before or after stick readings on the fuel slip. I called maintenance by radio to send the fueler back so I could comply with the operating manual and MEL by personally monitoring the stick measurement readings. The fueler did not have a copy of the fueling manual. Since I was planned to land at dfw with only about 60 mins of fuel on board, this did not improve my confidence. The dispatch release specified MEL item XXXX center tank, option 2 with (M) and (O) items to be complied with by both maintenance and the flight crew prior to departure. Maintenance chose to ignore the requirement to verify the total fuel quantity in all tanks containing fuel by measuring sticks or other approved means specified in the air carrier fueling manual which we did not have. Ok guys...I will fly this puppy down to the last 60 mins of fuel under good conditions, but I have to know that there really is the required fuel in those tanks. It gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling to know that I am not going to end up dead-sticking a 90 ton glider into an off-airport landing. I insisted that the fueler stick the tanks after fueling in my presence per operating manual and MEL XXXX. Maintenance says that this was not necessary and charged me with a delay. To fly with an inoperative fuel quantity indicator, no fuel totalizer and the corresponding downgraded fuel tracking functions on the FMC, the MEL states that it is necessary to physically check each tank containing fuel. I certainly agree.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 WITH A DEFERRED INOP FUEL TANK QUANTITY INDICATING SYS WAS FUELED WITHOUT VERIFYING FUEL LOAD BY DRIPSTICKS.

Narrative: THE B757/767 OPERATING MANUAL SAYS THAT STICK MEASUREMENT OF FUEL BY THE FUELER AND CONVERSION OF THE READING TO LBS SHALL BE MONITORED BY A COCKPIT CREW MEMBER. ALTHOUGH THIS PAGE IS DATED 12/XX/95, IT SEEMS TO BE A COMPLETE SURPRISE TO MAINT MGMNT AND THE FUELERS. ON THIS FLT I FOUND A FUEL SLIP IN THE COCKPIT BUT THE FUELER HAD DEPARTED SO I COULD NOT VERIFY THE FUEL STICK READINGS PER B757 OPERATING MANUAL. ALSO THERE WERE NO BEFORE OR AFTER STICK READINGS ON THE FUEL SLIP. I CALLED MAINT BY RADIO TO SEND THE FUELER BACK SO I COULD COMPLY WITH THE OPERATING MANUAL AND MEL BY PERSONALLY MONITORING THE STICK MEASUREMENT READINGS. THE FUELER DID NOT HAVE A COPY OF THE FUELING MANUAL. SINCE I WAS PLANNED TO LAND AT DFW WITH ONLY ABOUT 60 MINS OF FUEL ON BOARD, THIS DID NOT IMPROVE MY CONFIDENCE. THE DISPATCH RELEASE SPECIFIED MEL ITEM XXXX CTR TANK, OPTION 2 WITH (M) AND (O) ITEMS TO BE COMPLIED WITH BY BOTH MAINT AND THE FLC PRIOR TO DEP. MAINT CHOSE TO IGNORE THE REQUIREMENT TO VERIFY THE TOTAL FUEL QUANTITY IN ALL TANKS CONTAINING FUEL BY MEASURING STICKS OR OTHER APPROVED MEANS SPECIFIED IN THE ACR FUELING MANUAL WHICH WE DID NOT HAVE. OK GUYS...I WILL FLY THIS PUPPY DOWN TO THE LAST 60 MINS OF FUEL UNDER GOOD CONDITIONS, BUT I HAVE TO KNOW THAT THERE REALLY IS THE REQUIRED FUEL IN THOSE TANKS. IT GIVES ME A WARM AND FUZZY FEELING TO KNOW THAT I AM NOT GOING TO END UP DEAD-STICKING A 90 TON GLIDER INTO AN OFF-ARPT LNDG. I INSISTED THAT THE FUELER STICK THE TANKS AFTER FUELING IN MY PRESENCE PER OPERATING MANUAL AND MEL XXXX. MAINT SAYS THAT THIS WAS NOT NECESSARY AND CHARGED ME WITH A DELAY. TO FLY WITH AN INOP FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR, NO FUEL TOTALIZER AND THE CORRESPONDING DOWNGRADED FUEL TRACKING FUNCTIONS ON THE FMC, THE MEL STATES THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO PHYSICALLY CHK EACH TANK CONTAINING FUEL. I CERTAINLY AGREE.

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.