Narrative:

After landing in ZZZ1, I instructed the first officer to make sure that the refueler fills the aircraft with 3800 pounds of fuel and that I really had to use the restroom. Returning to the airplane, I found that the station was starting to board and the fuel truck was still around the airplane. I approached the refueler and asked him if everything was good to go. He replied with 'yeap, it's all good.' as I entered the flight deck. I asked the first officer if everything was in order and he said yes. We then proceeded with the before start checklist and was 1/2 way finished when we were interrupted by the ramp personnel wanting to know if he could put more bags on board. I told him it was ok and continued with the checklist, not realizing that the call for the fuel was missed. It was my leg back to ZZZ-Z when I noticed that the fuel level was not where it should be when the first officer completed the descent and approach checklist. After landing in ZZZ-Z, I advised dispatched that I was short on fuel and needed to return to ZZZ1. As I waited for dispatch to make a decision, I found that the refueler had put only 2800 pounds in the plane instead of the 3800 pounds I requested earlier. Finally, I was redispatched back to ZZZ1 only to find out [after arrival] that dispatch had a change of plans. At this point, I personally questioned the refueler and found out that he misunderstood the first officer and did not have a working understanding of the refueling process of the dash. I checked the refueling bugs and they were set at 2800 pounds. Waiting once more for dispatch to finalize everything, I made sure that I had enough fuel to get to ZZZ3. After leaving ZZZ1, the rest of the night was uneventful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DHC8-100 PIC DEPARTS HIS STATION WITH LESS FUEL THAN RELEASE HAD CALLED FOR WITH THE ERROR BEING NOTED DURING CHKLIST USE IN DSCNT 20 NM FROM ZZZ, US.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG IN ZZZ1, I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REFUELER FILLS THE ACFT WITH 3800 LBS OF FUEL AND THAT I REALLY HAD TO USE THE RESTROOM. RETURNING TO THE AIRPLANE, I FOUND THAT THE STATION WAS STARTING TO BOARD AND THE FUEL TRUCK WAS STILL AROUND THE AIRPLANE. I APCHED THE REFUELER AND ASKED HIM IF EVERYTHING WAS GOOD TO GO. HE REPLIED WITH 'YEAP, IT'S ALL GOOD.' AS I ENTERED THE FLT DECK. I ASKED THE FO IF EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER AND HE SAID YES. WE THEN PROCEEDED WITH THE BEFORE START CHKLIST AND WAS 1/2 WAY FINISHED WHEN WE WERE INTERRUPTED BY THE RAMP PERSONNEL WANTING TO KNOW IF HE COULD PUT MORE BAGS ON BOARD. I TOLD HIM IT WAS OK AND CONTINUED WITH THE CHKLIST, NOT REALIZING THAT THE CALL FOR THE FUEL WAS MISSED. IT WAS MY LEG BACK TO ZZZ-Z WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL WAS NOT WHERE IT SHOULD BE WHEN THE FO COMPLETED THE DSCNT AND APCH CHKLIST. AFTER LNDG IN ZZZ-Z, I ADVISED DISPATCHED THAT I WAS SHORT ON FUEL AND NEEDED TO RETURN TO ZZZ1. AS I WAITED FOR DISPATCH TO MAKE A DECISION, I FOUND THAT THE REFUELER HAD PUT ONLY 2800 LBS IN THE PLANE INSTEAD OF THE 3800 LBS I REQUESTED EARLIER. FINALLY, I WAS REDISPATCHED BACK TO ZZZ1 ONLY TO FIND OUT [AFTER ARR] THAT DISPATCH HAD A CHANGE OF PLANS. AT THIS POINT, I PERSONALLY QUESTIONED THE REFUELER AND FOUND OUT THAT HE MISUNDERSTOOD THE FO AND DID NOT HAVE A WORKING UNDERSTANDING OF THE REFUELING PROCESS OF THE DASH. I CHKED THE REFUELING BUGS AND THEY WERE SET AT 2800 LBS. WAITING ONCE MORE FOR DISPATCH TO FINALIZE EVERYTHING, I MADE SURE THAT I HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO GET TO ZZZ3. AFTER LEAVING ZZZ1, THE REST OF THE NIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.