Narrative:

After reaching cruise level we noticed that the engines were indicating different fuel flows and all other engine parameters appeared to be normal. The left engine showed 4700pph (pounds per hour) and the right engine indicated 4100pph. This was a momentary difference. After a minute they both showed 4600pph and operated equally for the remainder of the flight. We sent an ACARS message to dispatch to see if going to FL350 would be better and a response was received that it would be an additional 7000 lbs fuel burn. Since going up would cost us fuel; and was not feasible; we decided to stay with the flight plan. We were at or above the flight planned fuel burn at the first two fixes (alcoa; allbe). At the next checkpoint; adtil; we were 1300 lbs below flight plan. We checked the fuel burned; totalizer and FMC fuel and felt that part of it might have been accounted for by the ten knot increase in winds from flight plan and that the burn might get better as the flight continued; due to lower forecast winds. After this point the winds were forecast to be less for the remainder of the flight. When we crossed the pet(point of equal time) we had 26.5; which was above the fuel required. This was about 1800 lbs below the flight plan. At this point we felt we had one direction to go and the FMC showed that we would land with 8700 lbs of fuel; which was 300 lbs below flight planned fuel at touchdown. We decided to write this discrepancy up as a maintenance issue and started a discussion on a plan of action in case the fuel burn got worse. At adope we were 2800 lbs below flight plan and decided to contact dispatch via VHF when we came into range. Now the fuel at touchdown showed 5800 lbs. We decided to get the weather in hnl and lih and once we were in contact with hcf we asked if the military area was hot and if we could go direct to napua on the approach into lih. We were told that we were number one and that we could take any altitude to assist us. We stayed at altitude until we felt we could do an idle descent to final. As we started to descend the fuel configuration EICAS message illuminated. We ran the fuel configuration check list; felt it was not an apparent fuel leak and then the low fuel EICAS illuminated. We accomplished the low fuel checklist and were committed to land at lih. We felt that by the time we got a new clearance to hnl; it would put us in a worse fuel situation. Thus lih was the best choice. The totalizer showed 4100 lbs; at the gate; which meant that it burned an additional 1;000 lbs above planned; during the idle descent. We touched down and the totalizer showed 3800 lbs and at the gate it showed 4100 lbs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Excessive and unexplained fuel burn on a Mainland to Hawaii B757-200 flight results in a minimum fuel landing at destination.

Narrative: After reaching cruise level we noticed that the engines were indicating different fuel flows and all other engine parameters appeared to be normal. The left engine showed 4700pph (pounds per hour) and the right engine indicated 4100pph. This was a momentary difference. After a minute they both showed 4600pph and operated equally for the remainder of the flight. We sent an ACARS message to Dispatch to see if going to FL350 would be better and a response was received that it would be an additional 7000 lbs fuel burn. Since going up would cost us fuel; and was not feasible; we decided to stay with the flight plan. We were at or above the flight planned fuel burn at the first two fixes (ALCOA; ALLBE). At the next checkpoint; ADTIL; we were 1300 lbs below flight plan. We checked the fuel burned; totalizer and FMC fuel and felt that part of it might have been accounted for by the ten knot increase in winds from flight plan and that the burn might get better as the flight continued; due to lower forecast winds. After this point the winds were forecast to be less for the remainder of the flight. When we crossed the PET(Point of Equal Time) we had 26.5; which was above the fuel required. This was about 1800 lbs below the flight plan. At this point we felt we had one direction to go and the FMC showed that we would land with 8700 lbs of fuel; which was 300 lbs below flight planned fuel at touchdown. We decided to write this discrepancy up as a maintenance issue and started a discussion on a plan of action in case the fuel burn got worse. At ADOPE we were 2800 lbs below flight plan and decided to contact Dispatch via VHF when we came into range. Now the Fuel at touchdown showed 5800 lbs. We decided to get the weather in HNL and LIH and once we were in contact with HCF we asked if the military area was hot and if we could go direct to NAPUA on the approach into LIH. We were told that we were number one and that we could take any altitude to assist us. We stayed at altitude until we felt we could do an idle descent to final. As we started to descend the FUEL CONFIG EICAS message illuminated. We ran the Fuel Configuration check list; felt it was not an apparent fuel leak and then the Low Fuel EICAS illuminated. We accomplished the Low Fuel checklist and were committed to land at LIH. We felt that by the time we got a new clearance to HNL; it would put us in a worse fuel situation. Thus LIH was the best choice. The totalizer showed 4100 lbs; at the gate; which meant that it burned an additional 1;000 lbs above planned; during the idle descent. We touched down and the totalizer showed 3800 lbs and at the gate it showed 4100 lbs.

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.