MD80 dispatched with a questionably accurate fuel gauge and subjected to fuel consuming reroutes and...

Narrative:

Our day began as we met the inbound crew. The first officer told me that 2 units of aileron trim was needed during the entire flight. On his origination preflight he found the aileron trim at 2 units. They did not write up this problem. I proceeded to the airplane; called maintenance and wrote up the discrepancy in the aml. It was determined by maintenance that our right main fuel quantity gauge was reading high (less fuel in tank than what was on gauge). Our original release had us arriving in ZZZ1 with 8190 pounds of fuel. Maintenance told me that the gauge was 500 pounds off; so I called dispatch and received an amended release fuel of 25900 pounds. We would have 7700 pounds of fuel at destination. The flight was uneventful until after fix #1. At that point we were 2 mins ahead of flight plan and 200 pounds down on the fuel. We were given a rerte from ATC that added about 115 miles and 15 mins flying time. We advised dispatch and fuel burn was calculated. We would now arrive at ZZZ1 with 5300 pounds of fuel. We asked for and received 2 minor shortcuts on our route. We also advised ATC that we were in a minimum fuel situation and could not accept vectoring. Later we were 1 min ahead of flight plan and 400 pounds down on fuel. We would now arrive at ZZZ1 with 4900 pounds of fuel. When ATC needed to give us several vectors for traffic into the ZZZ1 area; we advised again that we were minimum fuel and we could not accept any vectoring. ATC said he needed us to comply with vectors; so we declared an emergency. We were given priority; but stayed on the arrival; since it nearly lined up with the airport. We used a 250 KT descent speed to save fuel. Due to the short time remaining in our flight and being busy; we were not able to contact dispatch when we were cleared for the ILS into ZZZ1. The landing was uneventful and we taxied to the gate. We parked at the gate with approximately 5700-6100 pounds of fuel; based on differing fuel sticks. I believe that if we had complied with the extensive vectoring and maneuvering to land on runway; we would have been in serious trouble with low fuel and an inoperative fuel gauge.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 DISPATCHED WITH A QUESTIONABLY ACCURATE FUEL GAUGE AND SUBJECTED TO FUEL CONSUMING REROUTES AND VECTORS DECLARES A FUEL EMER TO INSURE PROMPT HANDLING AT DEST.

Narrative: OUR DAY BEGAN AS WE MET THE INBOUND CREW. THE FO TOLD ME THAT 2 UNITS OF AILERON TRIM WAS NEEDED DURING THE ENTIRE FLT. ON HIS ORIGINATION PREFLT HE FOUND THE AILERON TRIM AT 2 UNITS. THEY DID NOT WRITE UP THIS PROB. I PROCEEDED TO THE AIRPLANE; CALLED MAINT AND WROTE UP THE DISCREPANCY IN THE AML. IT WAS DETERMINED BY MAINT THAT OUR R MAIN FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE WAS READING HIGH (LESS FUEL IN TANK THAN WHAT WAS ON GAUGE). OUR ORIGINAL RELEASE HAD US ARRIVING IN ZZZ1 WITH 8190 LBS OF FUEL. MAINT TOLD ME THAT THE GAUGE WAS 500 LBS OFF; SO I CALLED DISPATCH AND RECEIVED AN AMENDED RELEASE FUEL OF 25900 LBS. WE WOULD HAVE 7700 LBS OF FUEL AT DEST. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL AFTER FIX #1. AT THAT POINT WE WERE 2 MINS AHEAD OF FLT PLAN AND 200 LBS DOWN ON THE FUEL. WE WERE GIVEN A RERTE FROM ATC THAT ADDED ABOUT 115 MILES AND 15 MINS FLYING TIME. WE ADVISED DISPATCH AND FUEL BURN WAS CALCULATED. WE WOULD NOW ARRIVE AT ZZZ1 WITH 5300 LBS OF FUEL. WE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED 2 MINOR SHORTCUTS ON OUR RTE. WE ALSO ADVISED ATC THAT WE WERE IN A MINIMUM FUEL SITUATION AND COULD NOT ACCEPT VECTORING. LATER WE WERE 1 MIN AHEAD OF FLT PLAN AND 400 LBS DOWN ON FUEL. WE WOULD NOW ARRIVE AT ZZZ1 WITH 4900 LBS OF FUEL. WHEN ATC NEEDED TO GIVE US SEVERAL VECTORS FOR TFC INTO THE ZZZ1 AREA; WE ADVISED AGAIN THAT WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL AND WE COULD NOT ACCEPT ANY VECTORING. ATC SAID HE NEEDED US TO COMPLY WITH VECTORS; SO WE DECLARED AN EMER. WE WERE GIVEN PRIORITY; BUT STAYED ON THE ARR; SINCE IT NEARLY LINED UP WITH THE ARPT. WE USED A 250 KT DSCNT SPD TO SAVE FUEL. DUE TO THE SHORT TIME REMAINING IN OUR FLT AND BEING BUSY; WE WERE NOT ABLE TO CONTACT DISPATCH WHEN WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS INTO ZZZ1. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. WE PARKED AT THE GATE WITH APPROX 5700-6100 LBS OF FUEL; BASED ON DIFFERING FUEL STICKS. I BELIEVE THAT IF WE HAD COMPLIED WITH THE EXTENSIVE VECTORING AND MANEUVERING TO LAND ON RWY; WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN SERIOUS TROUBLE WITH LOW FUEL AND AN INOP FUEL GAUGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Attributes
ACN	692133
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	692133
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	692146
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

MD80 dispatched with a questionably accurate fuel gauge and subjected to fuel consuming reroutes and vectors declares a fuel emergency to insure prompt handling at destination.