MD80 flight crew diverts due to fuel state.

Attributes
ACN	731384
Time
Date	200703
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
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	ground : preflight ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	731384
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During ground stop on fll leg we received a re-route over crp. This was an increase in en route mileage. I advised the captain that this required a greater fuel load. In light of our fuel load having roughly 12000 pounds of hold; alternate; etc; the captain ascertained that the current fuel load was sufficient. During climb; the dispatcher sent an ACARS message that the fuel load was short. We received excellent service from our dispatcher; however; it should be noted that due to excessive diversions the dispatcher was apparently task saturated and was unable to give us his undivided attention. While there was some confusion about our actual fuel load and that which the dispatcher was using in his computations; the decision was made to make a precautionary stop in msy for additional fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW DIVERTS DUE TO FUEL STATE.

Narrative: DURING GND STOP ON FLL LEG WE RECEIVED A RE-RTE OVER CRP. THIS WAS AN INCREASE IN ENRTE MILEAGE. I ADVISED THE CAPT THAT THIS REQUIRED A GREATER FUEL LOAD. IN LIGHT OF OUR FUEL LOAD HAVING ROUGHLY 12000 LBS OF HOLD; ALTERNATE; ETC; THE CAPT ASCERTAINED THAT THE CURRENT FUEL LOAD WAS SUFFICIENT. DURING CLB; THE DISPATCHER SENT AN ACARS MESSAGE THAT THE FUEL LOAD WAS SHORT. WE RECEIVED EXCELLENT SVC FROM OUR DISPATCHER; HOWEVER; IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT DUE TO EXCESSIVE DIVERSIONS THE DISPATCHER WAS APPARENTLY TASK SATURATED AND WAS UNABLE TO GIVE US HIS UNDIVIDED ATTENTION. WHILE THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT OUR ACTUAL FUEL LOAD AND THAT WHICH THE DISPATCHER WAS USING IN HIS COMPUTATIONS; THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY STOP IN MSY FOR ADDITIONAL FUEL.

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.