MD82 flight crew diverted due to low fuel.

Attributes
ACN	436757
Time
Date	199905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 377
ASRS Report	436757
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Approximately 10 mins before departure, the captain and I were able to take our seats. I reviewed the fuel slip, which showed that we were planning on a fuel load of 20300 pounds of fuel for our flight to stl. The preliminary weight slip also showed this amount. The cockpit fuel gauges, plus the fuel slip showed 20300 pounds. A quick mental computation for an approximately 2 hour flight and FAA reserves and taxi, showed that to be adequate fuel. The captain said the WX in stl was 'good.' in the back of my mind though, I thought it was a little odd that we were arriving at stl with only FAA reserves. En route to stl, we got a rerte for WX. The rerte took us considerably northwest and then south into stl. I mentioned to the captain that I couldn't believe dispatch had released us without additional fuel, since they should have known about the en route WX (ie, landing with 4500 pounds (FAA reserves)). He said no, we are landing with 9000 pounds. I then asked how we could possibly do that, considering our present fuel. It was then that he discovered that we were fueled 4500 pounds less than the dispatch release. As a result we elected to land at mli for fuel rather than land at stl with approximately 3000 pounds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD82 FLC DIVERTED DUE TO LOW FUEL.

Narrative: APPROX 10 MINS BEFORE DEP, THE CAPT AND I WERE ABLE TO TAKE OUR SEATS. I REVIEWED THE FUEL SLIP, WHICH SHOWED THAT WE WERE PLANNING ON A FUEL LOAD OF 20300 LBS OF FUEL FOR OUR FLT TO STL. THE PRELIMINARY WT SLIP ALSO SHOWED THIS AMOUNT. THE COCKPIT FUEL GAUGES, PLUS THE FUEL SLIP SHOWED 20300 LBS. A QUICK MENTAL COMPUTATION FOR AN APPROX 2 HR FLT AND FAA RESERVES AND TAXI, SHOWED THAT TO BE ADEQUATE FUEL. THE CAPT SAID THE WX IN STL WAS 'GOOD.' IN THE BACK OF MY MIND THOUGH, I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE ODD THAT WE WERE ARRIVING AT STL WITH ONLY FAA RESERVES. ENRTE TO STL, WE GOT A RERTE FOR WX. THE RERTE TOOK US CONSIDERABLY NW AND THEN S INTO STL. I MENTIONED TO THE CAPT THAT I COULDN'T BELIEVE DISPATCH HAD RELEASED US WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FUEL, SINCE THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE ENRTE WX (IE, LNDG WITH 4500 LBS (FAA RESERVES)). HE SAID NO, WE ARE LNDG WITH 9000 LBS. I THEN ASKED HOW WE COULD POSSIBLY DO THAT, CONSIDERING OUR PRESENT FUEL. IT WAS THEN THAT HE DISCOVERED THAT WE WERE FUELED 4500 LBS LESS THAN THE DISPATCH RELEASE. AS A RESULT WE ELECTED TO LAND AT MLI FOR FUEL RATHER THAN LAND AT STL WITH APPROX 3000 LBS.

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.