Narrative:

Fuel problem after about the first hour of cruise, we were about -600 pounds of fuel. At gup the fuel log indicated about -400 pounds. We were planned for FL330 with a step to FL370. But because of chop we elected to descend to FL290 at about abq and the fuel log at that time indicated -400 pounds. At txo, 27 mins elapsed time, we were down -1100 pounds, and by zanto intersection an additional 21 mins elapsed time, -2000 pounds. It seemed like a disproportionate decrease from what a normal fuel burn would be, even though we were at a lower altitude. We briefly entertained the thought of a fuel leak but could not come to that conclusion. At this point we were about 26 mins from our point of descent and advised the center controller we were at minimum fuel and would like to land on runway 13R at dfw. He advised us they were landing north. Not wanting to start a lengthy conversation, I made an off-handed remark that we may have a fuel leak, and we'd keep him advised. Shortly after that, we began our descent (at idle power), and from top of descent to about a 10 mi final the fuel only decreased by about 4000 pounds, so we felt sure at that point it was probably not a fuel leak. After our handoff from center to approach, they asked us about 'souls on board' and 'fuel remaining.' we gave them the information, and advised that we were not an emergency. On about a 4 mi final for runway 13R, I noticed crash fire rescue equipment trucks along the runway. After landing, I pulled off the runway, stopped, and immediately made a PA to the passenger and flight attendants to remain seated and that the crash fire rescue equipment trucks were there as a precaution. Since the crash fire rescue equipment had gone to the trouble of coming out to meet us, I figured they might as well take a look for fuel leaks -- they found none. At the gate, we debriefed with the mechanics and the flight attendants. The mechanics suspected a totalizer. The flight attendants were not happy with me, and I don't blame them. Our obvious concern was an uncommanded evacuate/evacuation, because they were unaware, as we were, that crash fire rescue equipment was going to meet us. I don't blame ATC for going the extra mi for us, but someone in the loop should advise us that crash fire rescue equipment has been called on our behalf so we can properly brief the flight attendants and the passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD ERRATIC FUEL QUANTITY IN THE FUEL LOG. THE CREW DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL TO THE CTLR. ATC ALERTED CFR.

Narrative: FUEL PROB AFTER ABOUT THE FIRST HR OF CRUISE, WE WERE ABOUT -600 LBS OF FUEL. AT GUP THE FUEL LOG INDICATED ABOUT -400 LBS. WE WERE PLANNED FOR FL330 WITH A STEP TO FL370. BUT BECAUSE OF CHOP WE ELECTED TO DSND TO FL290 AT ABOUT ABQ AND THE FUEL LOG AT THAT TIME INDICATED -400 LBS. AT TXO, 27 MINS ELAPSED TIME, WE WERE DOWN -1100 LBS, AND BY ZANTO INTXN AN ADDITIONAL 21 MINS ELAPSED TIME, -2000 LBS. IT SEEMED LIKE A DISPROPORTIONATE DECREASE FROM WHAT A NORMAL FUEL BURN WOULD BE, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE AT A LOWER ALT. WE BRIEFLY ENTERTAINED THE THOUGHT OF A FUEL LEAK BUT COULD NOT COME TO THAT CONCLUSION. AT THIS POINT WE WERE ABOUT 26 MINS FROM OUR POINT OF DSCNT AND ADVISED THE CTR CTLR WE WERE AT MINIMUM FUEL AND WOULD LIKE TO LAND ON RWY 13R AT DFW. HE ADVISED US THEY WERE LNDG N. NOT WANTING TO START A LENGTHY CONVERSATION, I MADE AN OFF-HANDED REMARK THAT WE MAY HAVE A FUEL LEAK, AND WE'D KEEP HIM ADVISED. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT (AT IDLE PWR), AND FROM TOP OF DSCNT TO ABOUT A 10 MI FINAL THE FUEL ONLY DECREASED BY ABOUT 4000 LBS, SO WE FELT SURE AT THAT POINT IT WAS PROBABLY NOT A FUEL LEAK. AFTER OUR HDOF FROM CTR TO APCH, THEY ASKED US ABOUT 'SOULS ON BOARD' AND 'FUEL REMAINING.' WE GAVE THEM THE INFO, AND ADVISED THAT WE WERE NOT AN EMER. ON ABOUT A 4 MI FINAL FOR RWY 13R, I NOTICED CFR TRUCKS ALONG THE RWY. AFTER LNDG, I PULLED OFF THE RWY, STOPPED, AND IMMEDIATELY MADE A PA TO THE PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS TO REMAIN SEATED AND THAT THE CFR TRUCKS WERE THERE AS A PRECAUTION. SINCE THE CFR HAD GONE TO THE TROUBLE OF COMING OUT TO MEET US, I FIGURED THEY MIGHT AS WELL TAKE A LOOK FOR FUEL LEAKS -- THEY FOUND NONE. AT THE GATE, WE DEBRIEFED WITH THE MECHS AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS. THE MECHS SUSPECTED A TOTALIZER. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOT HAPPY WITH ME, AND I DON'T BLAME THEM. OUR OBVIOUS CONCERN WAS AN UNCOMMANDED EVAC, BECAUSE THEY WERE UNAWARE, AS WE WERE, THAT CFR WAS GOING TO MEET US. I DON'T BLAME ATC FOR GOING THE EXTRA MI FOR US, BUT SOMEONE IN THE LOOP SHOULD ADVISE US THAT CFR HAS BEEN CALLED ON OUR BEHALF SO WE CAN PROPERLY BRIEF THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND THE PAX.

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.