B737-300 crew had fuel quantity indication drop as the aircraft became airborne. They returned to th...

Attributes
ACN	575202
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	575202
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel quantity indicator. aileron trim other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Fuel emergency. While doing our cockpit setup for departure from hou, the fueler entered the cockpit to tell me that he had made a mistake in our fuel load. We were released with 14.5 pounds, but he had accidentally put 10.2 pounds in #1 tank and 4.2 pounds in #2 tank. We looked at the fuel gauges and FMC to verify that he had, in fact, 10.2 pound/4.2 pound fuel load. I told him to open the fuel xfer valve and we would xfer what we could while I called dispatch. I set the fuel panel up to xfer from #1 tank to #2 tank and called dispatch. We determined the easiest option of the 3 was to add fuel to #2 tank to within limits and depart. I went to the ramp and instructed the fueler to close the xfer valve and add enough fuel to #2 tank to even them out. We re-accomplished the before start originating checklist with a 13.0 pound fuel load, 8.5 pounds/8.5 pounds on the gauges and 17.0 pounds on the FMC. Normal operations to runway 12R. Departure with a left turn to 290 degree heading for the IDU1. We had a left crosswind on departure, so I anticipated a little left aileron requirement, but what I found out was much more. Immediately after departure, it was apparent we had a fuel imbal by the required aileron. With the aircraft cleaned up and in a left turn, the #1 forward fuel low pressure light illuminated. We immediately saw the #2 fuel gauge dropping rapidly through 3500 pounds. We declared an emergency and requested a return to hobby. The #1 fuel stopped at 1500 pounds, and we completed the low fuel operation checklist. We accomplished a normal flaps 30 ILS/visual approach to runway 4, followed by a normal landing and taxi to the gate. Needless to say, we exceeded the 1000 pound fuel imbal limitation. However, I felt it was necessary, due to the prior fueling error, followed with the current indications. Upon our arrival at the gate, maintenance personnel and myself verified the indications, load sheet, and fuel slip. The fuel slip showed an upload of 11.7 pounds with cockpit and fuel bay indicators agreeing. The aircraft was grounded by maintenance due to conflicting errors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW HAD FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION DROP AS THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE. THEY RETURNED TO THE DEP STATION WITH AN UNKNOWN FUEL QUANTITY.

Narrative: FUEL EMER. WHILE DOING OUR COCKPIT SETUP FOR DEP FROM HOU, THE FUELER ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO TELL ME THAT HE HAD MADE A MISTAKE IN OUR FUEL LOAD. WE WERE RELEASED WITH 14.5 LBS, BUT HE HAD ACCIDENTALLY PUT 10.2 LBS IN #1 TANK AND 4.2 LBS IN #2 TANK. WE LOOKED AT THE FUEL GAUGES AND FMC TO VERIFY THAT HE HAD, IN FACT, 10.2 LB/4.2 LB FUEL LOAD. I TOLD HIM TO OPEN THE FUEL XFER VALVE AND WE WOULD XFER WHAT WE COULD WHILE I CALLED DISPATCH. I SET THE FUEL PANEL UP TO XFER FROM #1 TANK TO #2 TANK AND CALLED DISPATCH. WE DETERMINED THE EASIEST OPTION OF THE 3 WAS TO ADD FUEL TO #2 TANK TO WITHIN LIMITS AND DEPART. I WENT TO THE RAMP AND INSTRUCTED THE FUELER TO CLOSE THE XFER VALVE AND ADD ENOUGH FUEL TO #2 TANK TO EVEN THEM OUT. WE RE-ACCOMPLISHED THE BEFORE START ORIGINATING CHKLIST WITH A 13.0 LB FUEL LOAD, 8.5 LBS/8.5 LBS ON THE GAUGES AND 17.0 LBS ON THE FMC. NORMAL OPS TO RWY 12R. DEP WITH A L TURN TO 290 DEG HDG FOR THE IDU1. WE HAD A L XWIND ON DEP, SO I ANTICIPATED A LITTLE L AILERON REQUIREMENT, BUT WHAT I FOUND OUT WAS MUCH MORE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEP, IT WAS APPARENT WE HAD A FUEL IMBAL BY THE REQUIRED AILERON. WITH THE ACFT CLEANED UP AND IN A L TURN, THE #1 FORWARD FUEL LOW PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WE IMMEDIATELY SAW THE #2 FUEL GAUGE DROPPING RAPIDLY THROUGH 3500 LBS. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED A RETURN TO HOBBY. THE #1 FUEL STOPPED AT 1500 LBS, AND WE COMPLETED THE LOW FUEL OP CHKLIST. WE ACCOMPLISHED A NORMAL FLAPS 30 ILS/VISUAL APCH TO RWY 4, FOLLOWED BY A NORMAL LNDG AND TAXI TO THE GATE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE EXCEEDED THE 1000 LB FUEL IMBAL LIMITATION. HOWEVER, I FELT IT WAS NECESSARY, DUE TO THE PRIOR FUELING ERROR, FOLLOWED WITH THE CURRENT INDICATIONS. UPON OUR ARR AT THE GATE, MAINT PERSONNEL AND MYSELF VERIFIED THE INDICATIONS, LOAD SHEET, AND FUEL SLIP. THE FUEL SLIP SHOWED AN UPLOAD OF 11.7 LBS WITH COCKPIT AND FUEL BAY INDICATORS AGREEING. THE ACFT WAS GROUNDED BY MAINT DUE TO CONFLICTING ERRORS.

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.

B737-300 crew had fuel quantity indication drop as the aircraft became airborne. They returned to the departure station with an unknown fuel quantity.