Narrative:

During scheduled quick turn; aircraft was not properly fueled to gate release. While at the gate; both the first officer and I noticed the need for fuel and I notified a station agent of the amount required. We then went about our preflight duties. While in the cockpit; I completed my departure briefing and the first officer went right into the before start checklist. This checklist is not to begin until the proper fuel is loaded. I; however; responded to the checklist items. When we arrived to the fuel item in the checklist; we again noted insufficient fuel and discontinued the checklist; noting that we would have to again execute the checklist in its entirety. Unfortunately; we began to get rushed and continued with our preflight duties including weight and balance; clearance; ATIS; etc; and never did the before start checklist a second time. We began our taxi and noticed the incorrect fuel during the before takeoff checklist. We subsequently returned to the gate and loaded proper fuel. The aircraft never took the runway for departure and; of course; did not take off prior to the loading of the proper fuel. Being astonished that we could miss this after addressing it at least 4 times prior to gate departure; I have determined some personal preventive actions. First and foremost; being rushed was a key factor. In addition; in the future; I will no longer allow other preflight duties to distract me prior to fuel loading; particularly when fueling is not occurring at the normal time. By continuing with my other duties; I allowed my thoughts to move on to subsequent stages of departure and; therefore; was distraction from executing the checklist a second time. Lastly; I will only respond to the before takeoff checklist after I (PIC) have called for it assuring I again check for fuel as is proper procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DHC8 FLT CREW TAXIED AWAY FROM THE GATE WITH IMPROPER FUEL LOAD EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD DISCUSSED IT SEVERAL TIMES DURING PREFLT DUTIES.

Narrative: DURING SCHEDULED QUICK TURN; ACFT WAS NOT PROPERLY FUELED TO GATE RELEASE. WHILE AT THE GATE; BOTH THE FO AND I NOTICED THE NEED FOR FUEL AND I NOTIFIED A STATION AGENT OF THE AMOUNT REQUIRED. WE THEN WENT ABOUT OUR PREFLT DUTIES. WHILE IN THE COCKPIT; I COMPLETED MY DEP BRIEFING AND THE FO WENT RIGHT INTO THE BEFORE START CHKLIST. THIS CHKLIST IS NOT TO BEGIN UNTIL THE PROPER FUEL IS LOADED. I; HOWEVER; RESPONDED TO THE CHKLIST ITEMS. WHEN WE ARRIVED TO THE FUEL ITEM IN THE CHKLIST; WE AGAIN NOTED INSUFFICIENT FUEL AND DISCONTINUED THE CHKLIST; NOTING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO AGAIN EXECUTE THE CHKLIST IN ITS ENTIRETY. UNFORTUNATELY; WE BEGAN TO GET RUSHED AND CONTINUED WITH OUR PREFLT DUTIES INCLUDING WT AND BAL; CLRNC; ATIS; ETC; AND NEVER DID THE BEFORE START CHKLIST A SECOND TIME. WE BEGAN OUR TAXI AND NOTICED THE INCORRECT FUEL DURING THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST. WE SUBSEQUENTLY RETURNED TO THE GATE AND LOADED PROPER FUEL. THE ACFT NEVER TOOK THE RWY FOR DEP AND; OF COURSE; DID NOT TAKE OFF PRIOR TO THE LOADING OF THE PROPER FUEL. BEING ASTONISHED THAT WE COULD MISS THIS AFTER ADDRESSING IT AT LEAST 4 TIMES PRIOR TO GATE DEP; I HAVE DETERMINED SOME PERSONAL PREVENTIVE ACTIONS. FIRST AND FOREMOST; BEING RUSHED WAS A KEY FACTOR. IN ADDITION; IN THE FUTURE; I WILL NO LONGER ALLOW OTHER PREFLT DUTIES TO DISTRACT ME PRIOR TO FUEL LOADING; PARTICULARLY WHEN FUELING IS NOT OCCURRING AT THE NORMAL TIME. BY CONTINUING WITH MY OTHER DUTIES; I ALLOWED MY THOUGHTS TO MOVE ON TO SUBSEQUENT STAGES OF DEP AND; THEREFORE; WAS DISTR FROM EXECUTING THE CHKLIST A SECOND TIME. LASTLY; I WILL ONLY RESPOND TO THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST AFTER I (PIC) HAVE CALLED FOR IT ASSURING I AGAIN CHK FOR FUEL AS IS PROPER PROC.

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.