Narrative:

Flight # was xx (air carrier). We (crew) departed with less fuel than our release stated, 3975 pounds. We left with approximately 2900 pounds. During our preflight and checklist both crew members believed we saw 4400 pounds of fuel as needed for our flight release. We were trying to maintain our flight schedule for an on time departure, and were operating with limited time restraints. After takeoff both crew members noted fuel to be approximately 1800 pounds on the gauges. Not sure if we had a fuel leak we returned to land back at mia. At that time we landed with 2600 pounds fuel. (Note: fuel indicates low in climb.) we then found out the aircraft was never fueled. This could have been prevented by slowing down and taking more time to review and actually see digital numbers as they are. Supplemental information from acn 384731: we started to run checklists, (before start) when clearance was ready for us. At this point in time we continued checklist. I must have missed or answered incorrectly to the fuel check. I thought I saw it on the fuel gauge. We continued checklist and proceeded to taxi out. The first officer was doing a radio close out and I was talking to ground. Time to taxi and takeoff was very short, about 4 mins. We completed taxi and before takeoff checklist and departed on runway 12 mia. After climb checklist, I noticed the fuel gauge to be reading low. I asked my first officer to look at it. He concurred. I said to him something like, we have enough fuel 4600 pounds. (The ATR has a history of faulty fuel gauges.) in our efforts to keep schedule, we assumed all was done, including fuel. I made the mistake of not making sure and assuming. We would never have left the gate without fuel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATR42 DEPARTS MIA, FL, WITHOUT BEING REFUELED. THE LOW FUEL QUANTITY FORCES THE FLC TO RETURN TO LAND AT MIA.

Narrative: FLT # WAS XX (ACR). WE (CREW) DEPARTED WITH LESS FUEL THAN OUR RELEASE STATED, 3975 LBS. WE LEFT WITH APPROX 2900 LBS. DURING OUR PREFLT AND CHKLIST BOTH CREW MEMBERS BELIEVED WE SAW 4400 LBS OF FUEL AS NEEDED FOR OUR FLT RELEASE. WE WERE TRYING TO MAINTAIN OUR FLT SCHEDULE FOR AN ON TIME DEP, AND WERE OPERATING WITH LIMITED TIME RESTRAINTS. AFTER TKOF BOTH CREW MEMBERS NOTED FUEL TO BE APPROX 1800 LBS ON THE GAUGES. NOT SURE IF WE HAD A FUEL LEAK WE RETURNED TO LAND BACK AT MIA. AT THAT TIME WE LANDED WITH 2600 LBS FUEL. (NOTE: FUEL INDICATES LOW IN CLB.) WE THEN FOUND OUT THE ACFT WAS NEVER FUELED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY SLOWING DOWN AND TAKING MORE TIME TO REVIEW AND ACTUALLY SEE DIGITAL NUMBERS AS THEY ARE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 384731: WE STARTED TO RUN CHKLISTS, (BEFORE START) WHEN CLRNC WAS READY FOR US. AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE CONTINUED CHKLIST. I MUST HAVE MISSED OR ANSWERED INCORRECTLY TO THE FUEL CHK. I THOUGHT I SAW IT ON THE FUEL GAUGE. WE CONTINUED CHKLIST AND PROCEEDED TO TAXI OUT. THE FO WAS DOING A RADIO CLOSE OUT AND I WAS TALKING TO GND. TIME TO TAXI AND TKOF WAS VERY SHORT, ABOUT 4 MINS. WE COMPLETED TAXI AND BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST AND DEPARTED ON RWY 12 MIA. AFTER CLB CHKLIST, I NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE TO BE READING LOW. I ASKED MY FO TO LOOK AT IT. HE CONCURRED. I SAID TO HIM SOMETHING LIKE, WE HAVE ENOUGH FUEL 4600 LBS. (THE ATR HAS A HISTORY OF FAULTY FUEL GAUGES.) IN OUR EFFORTS TO KEEP SCHEDULE, WE ASSUMED ALL WAS DONE, INCLUDING FUEL. I MADE THE MISTAKE OF NOT MAKING SURE AND ASSUMING. WE WOULD NEVER HAVE LEFT THE GATE WITHOUT FUEL.

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.