Narrative:

Prior to pushback; we were given an ATC flow time of XA09Z (scheduled departure time was XA00Z). In the final mins prior to doors-up; we ran the checklists; completed the weight and balance; cabin count; started engines; and pushed back normally. It was during the after start flow that we realized we had not been fueled as requested. Fuel required was 5200 pounds. We had requested 5400 pounds; but only had 2800 pounds on board. We contacted operations; returned to the gate and shut down normally. We called for fuel; contacted dispatch; received a new ATC flow time of XA30Z and completed the flight without further incident; arriving at destination 15 mins late. We had become somewhat hurried in the final mins prior to doors-up due to our flow time. I read through the before start checklist; and failed to catch the fact that we had not been fueled yet. Minimum total was 5200 pounds; and we had requested 5400 pounds. We had 1400 pounds per side. Perhaps I saw the '4' in 1400 and thought '5-400.' in my haste; I had already entered our requested fuel into the FMS as fuel onboard; so I failed to catch my mistake there as well. I verified the 'fueling on' light was dark; which it was; and didn't think anything about it. The fueler simply had not come; even though we had put a fuel slip out. It wasn't until we were unhooked from the tug with engines running and were performing the 'after start' checklist that the captain had looked at the fuel quantity and verbalized that the actual quantity was not right. We then realized what had happened; and called operations to return to the gate to take on more fuel. Obviously; I should have done a better job visually verifying the fuel quantity as pilot monitoring. In the future; I am not going to enter the 'fuel onboard quantity' into the FMS until I see that it has been done. This will help mitigate any mistakes between what we request and what we receive.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DASH8 FIRST OFFICER REPORTS PUSHING BACK BEFORE DISCOVERING THAT THE FUEL LOAD IS INCORRECT AND THE FLIGHT RETURNS TO THE GATE FOR MORE FUEL.

Narrative: PRIOR TO PUSHBACK; WE WERE GIVEN AN ATC FLOW TIME OF XA09Z (SCHEDULED DEP TIME WAS XA00Z). IN THE FINAL MINS PRIOR TO DOORS-UP; WE RAN THE CHKLISTS; COMPLETED THE WT AND BAL; CABIN COUNT; STARTED ENGS; AND PUSHED BACK NORMALLY. IT WAS DURING THE AFTER START FLOW THAT WE REALIZED WE HAD NOT BEEN FUELED AS REQUESTED. FUEL REQUIRED WAS 5200 LBS. WE HAD REQUESTED 5400 LBS; BUT ONLY HAD 2800 LBS ON BOARD. WE CONTACTED OPS; RETURNED TO THE GATE AND SHUT DOWN NORMALLY. WE CALLED FOR FUEL; CONTACTED DISPATCH; RECEIVED A NEW ATC FLOW TIME OF XA30Z AND COMPLETED THE FLT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT; ARRIVING AT DEST 15 MINS LATE. WE HAD BECOME SOMEWHAT HURRIED IN THE FINAL MINS PRIOR TO DOORS-UP DUE TO OUR FLOW TIME. I READ THROUGH THE BEFORE START CHKLIST; AND FAILED TO CATCH THE FACT THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN FUELED YET. MINIMUM TOTAL WAS 5200 LBS; AND WE HAD REQUESTED 5400 LBS. WE HAD 1400 LBS PER SIDE. PERHAPS I SAW THE '4' IN 1400 AND THOUGHT '5-400.' IN MY HASTE; I HAD ALREADY ENTERED OUR REQUESTED FUEL INTO THE FMS AS FUEL ONBOARD; SO I FAILED TO CATCH MY MISTAKE THERE AS WELL. I VERIFIED THE 'FUELING ON' LIGHT WAS DARK; WHICH IT WAS; AND DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE FUELER SIMPLY HAD NOT COME; EVEN THOUGH WE HAD PUT A FUEL SLIP OUT. IT WASN'T UNTIL WE WERE UNHOOKED FROM THE TUG WITH ENGS RUNNING AND WERE PERFORMING THE 'AFTER START' CHKLIST THAT THE CAPT HAD LOOKED AT THE FUEL QUANTITY AND VERBALIZED THAT THE ACTUAL QUANTITY WAS NOT RIGHT. WE THEN REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED; AND CALLED OPS TO RETURN TO THE GATE TO TAKE ON MORE FUEL. OBVIOUSLY; I SHOULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB VISUALLY VERIFYING THE FUEL QUANTITY AS PLT MONITORING. IN THE FUTURE; I AM NOT GOING TO ENTER THE 'FUEL ONBOARD QUANTITY' INTO THE FMS UNTIL I SEE THAT IT HAS BEEN DONE. THIS WILL HELP MITIGATE ANY MISTAKES BTWN WHAT WE REQUEST AND WHAT WE RECEIVE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.