Air carrier medium large transport departed sea with less than required fuel.

Attributes
ACN	81499
Time
Date	198802
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 4781 flight time type : 1560
ASRS Report	81499
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While reviewing the dispatch release, I was interrupted a number of times. By dividing my attention, I overlooked the dispatcher's minimum fuel and instead used another lesser figure. As a result, we landed at an interim stop with a fuel load which would have been insufficient to get us to our most distant alternate with required reserves. The first officer would have likely caught my error, but I let a discussion regarding systems and trainers interrupt our normal flow. Lesson: don't dilute one's attention!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DEPARTED SEA WITH LESS THAN REQUIRED FUEL.

Narrative: WHILE REVIEWING THE DISPATCH RELEASE, I WAS INTERRUPTED A NUMBER OF TIMES. BY DIVIDING MY ATTN, I OVERLOOKED THE DISPATCHER'S MINIMUM FUEL AND INSTEAD USED ANOTHER LESSER FIGURE. AS A RESULT, WE LANDED AT AN INTERIM STOP WITH A FUEL LOAD WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN INSUFFICIENT TO GET US TO OUR MOST DISTANT ALTERNATE WITH REQUIRED RESERVES. THE F/O WOULD HAVE LIKELY CAUGHT MY ERROR, BUT I LET A DISCUSSION REGARDING SYSTEMS AND TRAINERS INTERRUPT OUR NORMAL FLOW. LESSON: DON'T DILUTE ONE'S ATTN!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.