B747 crew departed with less than cleared fuel. On departure they had track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	465741
Time
Date	200003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : dumb 6 lin
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	465741
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist controller : issued alert other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Scheduled for a ferry flight from sfo to mia. Basic crew -- captain, first officer, flight engineer. Our flight plan indicated 7000 kgs ballast fuel on the first page. I coordinated with our dispatcher to add 3000 kgs for contingency. However, our company only lists ballast fuel at the very start of the flight plan under 'total fuel' and does not include it in the 'blocks fuel,' 'take off fuel,' 'minimum required' or anywhere else. As a result, I added 3000 kgs to our block fuel, not to the total fuel. This was discovered at our first fuel plot. I initiated long range cruise profile, had our flight engineer operate with only 1 aircraft pack and climbed, when allowed by ATC, to FL410. We landed in mia. Block-in fuel ws 19600 kgs, which even with the 7000 kgs ballast fuel was ok. The point is, I released brakes with less than required fuel. None of the crew were ferried with ballast fuel enough times to be familiar with our company's method of tracking the ballast. Also, on departure (DUMB6.lin), the #2 INS failed as we were cleared direct to altam. Bay departure asked if we were turning north. The first officer was flying the departure and I was reconfiguring our navigation system for a VOR/DME departure when bay asked if we were turning. I responded that we had a navigation failure. Once re-established on departure, bay confirmed our navigation was ok and sent us to oakland. We complied with our flight handbook and confirmed status with our maintenance, via phone patch.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747 CREW DEPARTED WITH LESS THAN CLRED FUEL. ON DEP THEY HAD TRACK DEV.

Narrative: SCHEDULED FOR A FERRY FLT FROM SFO TO MIA. BASIC CREW -- CAPT, FO, FE. OUR FLT PLAN INDICATED 7000 KGS BALLAST FUEL ON THE FIRST PAGE. I COORDINATED WITH OUR DISPATCHER TO ADD 3000 KGS FOR CONTINGENCY. HOWEVER, OUR COMPANY ONLY LISTS BALLAST FUEL AT THE VERY START OF THE FLT PLAN UNDER 'TOTAL FUEL' AND DOES NOT INCLUDE IT IN THE 'BLOCKS FUEL,' 'TAKE OFF FUEL,' 'MINIMUM REQUIRED' OR ANYWHERE ELSE. AS A RESULT, I ADDED 3000 KGS TO OUR BLOCK FUEL, NOT TO THE TOTAL FUEL. THIS WAS DISCOVERED AT OUR FIRST FUEL PLOT. I INITIATED LONG RANGE CRUISE PROFILE, HAD OUR FE OPERATE WITH ONLY 1 ACFT PACK AND CLBED, WHEN ALLOWED BY ATC, TO FL410. WE LANDED IN MIA. BLOCK-IN FUEL WS 19600 KGS, WHICH EVEN WITH THE 7000 KGS BALLAST FUEL WAS OK. THE POINT IS, I RELEASED BRAKES WITH LESS THAN REQUIRED FUEL. NONE OF THE CREW WERE FERRIED WITH BALLAST FUEL ENOUGH TIMES TO BE FAMILIAR WITH OUR COMPANY'S METHOD OF TRACKING THE BALLAST. ALSO, ON DEP (DUMB6.LIN), THE #2 INS FAILED AS WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO ALTAM. BAY DEP ASKED IF WE WERE TURNING N. THE FO WAS FLYING THE DEP AND I WAS RECONFIGURING OUR NAV SYS FOR A VOR/DME DEP WHEN BAY ASKED IF WE WERE TURNING. I RESPONDED THAT WE HAD A NAV FAILURE. ONCE RE-ESTABLISHED ON DEP, BAY CONFIRMED OUR NAV WAS OK AND SENT US TO OAKLAND. WE COMPLIED WITH OUR FLT HANDBOOK AND CONFIRMED STATUS WITH OUR MAINT, VIA PHONE PATCH.

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.