A canadair CL65, immediately after takeoff at 3000 ft, declared an emergency and diverted due to sudden decrease of fuel quantity caused by a faulty input from the maintenance computer.

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Attributes
ACN	396159
Time
Date	199803
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg tower : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	396159
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While performing maintenance test flight of hydraulic system, upon climb out passing 3000 ft, the observing mechanic noticed what appeared to be a low fuel situation. We had taken off with 2800 pounds of fuel and now the gauges indicated less than 500 pounds and decreasing quantity. We declared an emergency pitched nose down and returned for uneventful landing. On flareout the fuel quantity appeared to return to normal. Maintenance personnel then did a download of aircraft computers and found a fault with fuel sensors. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a canadair CL65 and the problem of the fuel decrease was the maintenance fault monitoring computer inducing an error, or fault, into the fuel quantity system. The reporter said that maintenance checked the computer and reset the fault and all checked ok. The reporter said the crew is not given a fuel slip to account for the fuel boarded which might have avoided this emergency. The reporter stated it is company policy not to give the crew a fuel slip.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CANADAIR CL65, IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF AT 3000 FT, DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO SUDDEN DECREASE OF FUEL QUANTITY CAUSED BY A FAULTY INPUT FROM THE MAINT COMPUTER.

Narrative: WHILE PERFORMING MAINT TEST FLT OF HYD SYS, UPON CLBOUT PASSING 3000 FT, THE OBSERVING MECH NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LOW FUEL SIT. WE HAD TAKEN OFF WITH 2800 LBS OF FUEL AND NOW THE GAUGES INDICATED LESS THAN 500 LBS AND DECREASING QUANTITY. WE DECLARED AN EMER PITCHED NOSE DOWN AND RETURNED FOR UNEVENTFUL LNDG. ON FLAREOUT THE FUEL QUANTITY APPEARED TO RETURN TO NORMAL. MAINT PERSONNEL THEN DID A DOWNLOAD OF ACFT COMPUTERS AND FOUND A FAULT WITH FUEL SENSORS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A CANADAIR CL65 AND THE PROB OF THE FUEL DECREASE WAS THE MAINT FAULT MONITORING COMPUTER INDUCING AN ERROR, OR FAULT, INTO THE FUEL QUANTITY SYS. THE RPTR SAID THAT MAINT CHKED THE COMPUTER AND RESET THE FAULT AND ALL CHKED OK. THE RPTR SAID THE CREW IS NOT GIVEN A FUEL SLIP TO ACCOUNT FOR THE FUEL BOARDED WHICH MIGHT HAVE AVOIDED THIS EMER. THE RPTR STATED IT IS COMPANY POLICY NOT TO GIVE THE CREW A FUEL SLIP.

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.