MD83 pilot observes the fuel used, and the fuel totalizer do not match exactly.

Attributes
ACN	630891
Time
Date	200409
Day	Wed
Place
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	630891
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

I am noticing a disparity between the 'fuel used' totals on the fuel flow gauges and that indicated on the digital totalizer. The disparity is a consistent 500-1000 pounds. The totalizer indicates the higher usage. Since the fuel flow indicated on the fuel gauges is a measure of how much fuel is actually going through the engine, it would seem that its 'fuel used' indications would be more accurate than that indicated on the totalizer. However, operationally, we use the totals on the totalizer for submission to ACARS regarding release fuel, flight progress fuel and arrival fuel. If the totalizer is indicating higher than actual fuel usage, are we not submitting erroneous fuel totals to the company, multiplied by hundreds of times per day? And if it is the totalizer that is accurate, then what good is a gauge that indicates false levels of fuel consumption? I have reported on this once through the company, but have seen no response to the issue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD83 PLT OBSERVES THE FUEL USED, AND THE FUEL TOTALIZER DO NOT MATCH EXACTLY.

Narrative: I AM NOTICING A DISPARITY BTWN THE 'FUEL USED' TOTALS ON THE FUEL FLOW GAUGES AND THAT INDICATED ON THE DIGITAL TOTALIZER. THE DISPARITY IS A CONSISTENT 500-1000 LBS. THE TOTALIZER INDICATES THE HIGHER USAGE. SINCE THE FUEL FLOW INDICATED ON THE FUEL GAUGES IS A MEASURE OF HOW MUCH FUEL IS ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH THE ENG, IT WOULD SEEM THAT ITS 'FUEL USED' INDICATIONS WOULD BE MORE ACCURATE THAN THAT INDICATED ON THE TOTALIZER. HOWEVER, OPERATIONALLY, WE USE THE TOTALS ON THE TOTALIZER FOR SUBMISSION TO ACARS REGARDING RELEASE FUEL, FLT PROGRESS FUEL AND ARR FUEL. IF THE TOTALIZER IS INDICATING HIGHER THAN ACTUAL FUEL USAGE, ARE WE NOT SUBMITTING ERRONEOUS FUEL TOTALS TO THE COMPANY, MULTIPLIED BY HUNDREDS OF TIMES PER DAY? AND IF IT IS THE TOTALIZER THAT IS ACCURATE, THEN WHAT GOOD IS A GAUGE THAT INDICATES FALSE LEVELS OF FUEL CONSUMPTION? I HAVE RPTED ON THIS ONCE THROUGH THE COMPANY, BUT HAVE SEEN NO RESPONSE TO THE ISSUE.

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.