Narrative:

Here's the problem: I've been on the MD80 for over 14 yrs now; and as far as I can remember; this was the first time I actually had ballast fuel to deal with. Unfortunately; this lack of experience led me down an insidious path. The aircraft had been fueled to 19300 pounds. The flight plan has 19218 pounds as the release fuel. The load paperwork also had 19200 pounds of fuel listed. The first officer and I agreed to leave the 5000 pounds of fuel in the center tank alone and it was not used on the flight. I do not know why; but I somehow misread the fuel on the load closeout. I could have sworn it matched the other quantities I mentioned. I did note we had tul as an alternate. I thought this was unnecessary as the WX in stl would remain VMC well after our arrival. Dispatch gave us 5000 pounds for the alternate fuel. Shortly after leveling off at FL230; the first officer voiced his concern regarding the disparity between the load closeout fuel and what was on the flight plan. I soon realized the fueler must have incorporated the ballast fuel into his fueling of the aircraft with the result of us having 5000 pounds less usable fuel on board. We quickly evaluated the situation and came to the conclusion we would have enough fuel to get to stl without problem. The question we both had burning in our minds was: what about the center of gravity? I got a hold of dispatch; advising him of our situation. After checking with load control; we were reclred with 18800 pounds of fuel and tul was dropped as an alternate. The rest of the flight went without incident. I am to blame for not carefully checking the load closeout. Had I done a better job; we would have discovered this discrepancy and corrected the situation before we even left the ramp.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW DISCOVERS A FUEL DISCREPANCY DURING CRUISE FLT.

Narrative: HERE'S THE PROB: I'VE BEEN ON THE MD80 FOR OVER 14 YRS NOW; AND AS FAR AS I CAN REMEMBER; THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I ACTUALLY HAD BALLAST FUEL TO DEAL WITH. UNFORTUNATELY; THIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE LED ME DOWN AN INSIDIOUS PATH. THE ACFT HAD BEEN FUELED TO 19300 LBS. THE FLT PLAN HAS 19218 LBS AS THE RELEASE FUEL. THE LOAD PAPERWORK ALSO HAD 19200 LBS OF FUEL LISTED. THE FO AND I AGREED TO LEAVE THE 5000 LBS OF FUEL IN THE CTR TANK ALONE AND IT WAS NOT USED ON THE FLT. I DO NOT KNOW WHY; BUT I SOMEHOW MISREAD THE FUEL ON THE LOAD CLOSEOUT. I COULD HAVE SWORN IT MATCHED THE OTHER QUANTITIES I MENTIONED. I DID NOTE WE HAD TUL AS AN ALTERNATE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS UNNECESSARY AS THE WX IN STL WOULD REMAIN VMC WELL AFTER OUR ARR. DISPATCH GAVE US 5000 LBS FOR THE ALTERNATE FUEL. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF AT FL230; THE FO VOICED HIS CONCERN REGARDING THE DISPARITY BTWN THE LOAD CLOSEOUT FUEL AND WHAT WAS ON THE FLT PLAN. I SOON REALIZED THE FUELER MUST HAVE INCORPORATED THE BALLAST FUEL INTO HIS FUELING OF THE ACFT WITH THE RESULT OF US HAVING 5000 LBS LESS USABLE FUEL ON BOARD. WE QUICKLY EVALUATED THE SITUATION AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION WE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO GET TO STL WITHOUT PROB. THE QUESTION WE BOTH HAD BURNING IN OUR MINDS WAS: WHAT ABOUT THE CTR OF GRAVITY? I GOT A HOLD OF DISPATCH; ADVISING HIM OF OUR SITUATION. AFTER CHKING WITH LOAD CTL; WE WERE RECLRED WITH 18800 LBS OF FUEL AND TUL WAS DROPPED AS AN ALTERNATE. THE REST OF THE FLT WENT WITHOUT INCIDENT. I AM TO BLAME FOR NOT CAREFULLY CHKING THE LOAD CLOSEOUT. HAD I DONE A BETTER JOB; WE WOULD HAVE DISCOVERED THIS DISCREPANCY AND CORRECTED THE SITUATION BEFORE WE EVEN LEFT THE RAMP.

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.