B737 captain and dispatcher both report on ETOPS flight that may have been dispatched with less than...

Attributes
ACN	842402
Time
Date	200907
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked
Route In Use	Oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Person 2
Function	Dispatcher
Qualification	Dispatch Dispatcher
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural FAR Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

I was informed after the fact that my flight may have departed with less than required fuel due to a programming error on the flight plan. The flight plan showed a ramp fuel of 38.5? And the dispatch release showed 36.0. 36.0 was loaded; and load planning used 36.0. AC departed; arrived at ZZZ with 9.0. ETOPS add fuel was included as fuel to the most distant alternate. The flight plan; however; included both alt fuels; not required due to weather at ZZZ. The release fuel was correct; the flight plan fuel was wrong. Left with coordinated fuel; arrived uneventfully at ZZZ. Evidently there is a new flight planning service for this event. Correct the software problem in flight planning.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 Captain and Dispatcher both report on ETOPS flight that may have been dispatched with less than required fuel. Flight plan fuel showed 2500 LBS more fuel than release fuel; with the crew using the smaller number.

Narrative: I was informed after the fact that my flight may have departed with less than required fuel due to a programming error on the flight plan. The flight plan showed a ramp fuel of 38.5? and the dispatch release showed 36.0. 36.0 was loaded; and load planning used 36.0. AC departed; arrived at ZZZ with 9.0. ETOPS add fuel was included as fuel to the most distant alternate. The flight plan; however; included both alt fuels; not required due to weather at ZZZ. The release fuel was correct; the flight plan fuel was wrong. Left with coordinated fuel; arrived uneventfully at ZZZ. Evidently there is a new flight planning service for this event. Correct the software problem in flight planning.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

B737 captain and dispatcher both report on ETOPS flight that may have been dispatched with less than required fuel. Flight plan fuel showed 2500 pounds more fuel than release fuel; with the crew using the smaller number.