Narrative:

We had an aircraft, which upon its arrival, we noticed center tank gauge showing error code 0. Maintenance was called to the jet, and the 'known amount' was placed into center tank. Our in-range call to pvr, we asked if maintenance had been advised about the MEL on the aircraft, and were told maintenance would be there for fueling. We had requested the minimum fuel load, which was 29.6, which was 4500 pounds more than needed. The aircraft had full tanks in #1 and #2 engines, and the center gauge was indicating 6000 pounds. We asked if he had put in a 'known amount'? We asked for the fuel slip that is no longer required to verify the amount of either liters or gallons boarded. We also asked for the amount of gallons or liters, and the total fuel load was given to us instead. The station agent said that it is not required and that the slip the mechanic had handed us had the information on it. We asked for the mechanic to talk to us, and he assured us that the center tank had been loaded with 5650 liters or 1500 gallons, which equates to 9600 pounds. We questioned that the center tank gauge had not been that far off on the way down, and the mechanic said not to trust the gauge, he stated to 'trust us.' at this point, we were already behind schedule, and the station was in a hurry to get us on our way. Once we were in the air, I calculated where we should have a dry center tank. Either my calculations were wrong or we didn't receive all the fuel we were supposed to have on board. Our center tank ran dry about 150 mi early. We had plenty of fuel that was required to make flight plan to destination and or alternates, but would not have the 'extra' that we were supposed to have. The winds were stronger than forecast (estimated 10-15 KTS stronger), and we were held down at 310 KTS for about 20 mins. It would be very helpful if we could still get the fuel slip of actual fuel loaded on the aircraft like we used to.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PROCS IN PLACE FOR FUELING A B737-400 WITH FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION PROBS DO NOT PROVIDE THE CREW WITH THE DESIRED FUEL. CTR TANK EMPTIES 150 MI EARLY.

Narrative: WE HAD AN ACFT, WHICH UPON ITS ARR, WE NOTICED CTR TANK GAUGE SHOWING ERROR CODE 0. MAINT WAS CALLED TO THE JET, AND THE 'KNOWN AMOUNT' WAS PLACED INTO CTR TANK. OUR IN-RANGE CALL TO PVR, WE ASKED IF MAINT HAD BEEN ADVISED ABOUT THE MEL ON THE ACFT, AND WERE TOLD MAINT WOULD BE THERE FOR FUELING. WE HAD REQUESTED THE MINIMUM FUEL LOAD, WHICH WAS 29.6, WHICH WAS 4500 LBS MORE THAN NEEDED. THE ACFT HAD FULL TANKS IN #1 AND #2 ENGS, AND THE CTR GAUGE WAS INDICATING 6000 LBS. WE ASKED IF HE HAD PUT IN A 'KNOWN AMOUNT'? WE ASKED FOR THE FUEL SLIP THAT IS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO VERIFY THE AMOUNT OF EITHER LITERS OR GALLONS BOARDED. WE ALSO ASKED FOR THE AMOUNT OF GALLONS OR LITERS, AND THE TOTAL FUEL LOAD WAS GIVEN TO US INSTEAD. THE STATION AGENT SAID THAT IT IS NOT REQUIRED AND THAT THE SLIP THE MECH HAD HANDED US HAD THE INFO ON IT. WE ASKED FOR THE MECH TO TALK TO US, AND HE ASSURED US THAT THE CTR TANK HAD BEEN LOADED WITH 5650 LITERS OR 1500 GALLONS, WHICH EQUATES TO 9600 LBS. WE QUESTIONED THAT THE CTR TANK GAUGE HAD NOT BEEN THAT FAR OFF ON THE WAY DOWN, AND THE MECH SAID NOT TO TRUST THE GAUGE, HE STATED TO 'TRUST US.' AT THIS POINT, WE WERE ALREADY BEHIND SCHEDULE, AND THE STATION WAS IN A HURRY TO GET US ON OUR WAY. ONCE WE WERE IN THE AIR, I CALCULATED WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE A DRY CTR TANK. EITHER MY CALCULATIONS WERE WRONG OR WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ALL THE FUEL WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE ON BOARD. OUR CTR TANK RAN DRY ABOUT 150 MI EARLY. WE HAD PLENTY OF FUEL THAT WAS REQUIRED TO MAKE FLT PLAN TO DEST AND OR ALTERNATES, BUT WOULD NOT HAVE THE 'EXTRA' THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE. THE WINDS WERE STRONGER THAN FORECAST (ESTIMATED 10-15 KTS STRONGER), AND WE WERE HELD DOWN AT 310 KTS FOR ABOUT 20 MINS. IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF WE COULD STILL GET THE FUEL SLIP OF ACTUAL FUEL LOADED ON THE ACFT LIKE WE USED TO.

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.