Narrative:

Signed for fuel approximately 70 mins prior to departure. Second officer checked cia on arrival at aircraft 45 mins prior to departure. As he arrived at aircraft he was given fuel slip from fueler and stick readings from tanks 1 & 2. (Stick readings mandatory for first flight of day.) (tank 1, stick 2, reading 1 cm, equivalent approximately 16900#, gauge read 17500#, tank 2, stick 2, read 3 cm, equivalent 17500#, gauge read 17800#.) work was being done on #1 cowling so after F/east checked logbook for open cia, logbook was removed from aircraft until seconds before departure. It is my custom to peruse the logbook upon arrival at aircraft. Obviously unable to that morning. Approximately 10-15' north of ilm, noted intermittent low pressure #1 boost, #1 tank went to steady inoperative, checked circuit breaker, etcs, turned pump off. Shortly thereafter, remaining boost pump #1 tank showed low pressure. Also noted decreasing qty in tank 1A which feeds automatically when tank 1 is depleted. Tank 1 qty had decreased to 10200# and held at that point. Fuel from tank #1 was not available except through gravity feed. I conferred with dispatch and tech services and diverted to clt. Tank #1 was found to be bone dry. Reading 1 cm on stick 2, tank 1 is very near to bottomed out on that stick. That stick reading starts in the 16000-16500# area. I suspect that it was in fact at its lower limit, not in fact reading anything. Stick 1 in tank 1 reads up to a maximum in the 14000# area. I suggest that as a matter of policy, when fuel load in tanks 1 & 2 are in lower limit area of #2 stick, that #1 stick is also checked to assure that fuel is at least in the 14000# area, as a double check. There is a 2000# never never land between sticks #1 and 2 reading capability. Had the logbook been on the airplane, I would probably have noted previous #1 tank qty. Writeups (cleared) and been much more suspicious. Numerous vectors and route changes to ilm area precluded the convenient perusal of the logbook by me, to that point. Supplemental information from acn 94511: landed at clt. The gauge still showed 10000# but the tank was empty. It was refueled and after appropriate entries in the logbook, the aircraft was released and we proceeded to mia.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB WITH UNRELIABLE FUEL GAUGES AND INADEQUATE FUEL LOAD MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT ALTERNATE ARPT.

Narrative: SIGNED FOR FUEL APPROX 70 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. S/O CHKED CIA ON ARR AT ACFT 45 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. AS HE ARRIVED AT ACFT HE WAS GIVEN FUEL SLIP FROM FUELER AND STICK READINGS FROM TANKS 1 & 2. (STICK READINGS MANDATORY FOR FIRST FLT OF DAY.) (TANK 1, STICK 2, READING 1 CM, EQUIVALENT APPROX 16900#, GAUGE READ 17500#, TANK 2, STICK 2, READ 3 CM, EQUIVALENT 17500#, GAUGE READ 17800#.) WORK WAS BEING DONE ON #1 COWLING SO AFTER F/E CHKED LOGBOOK FOR OPEN CIA, LOGBOOK WAS REMOVED FROM ACFT UNTIL SECS BEFORE DEP. IT IS MY CUSTOM TO PERUSE THE LOGBOOK UPON ARR AT ACFT. OBVIOUSLY UNABLE TO THAT MORNING. APPROX 10-15' N OF ILM, NOTED INTERMITTENT LOW PRESSURE #1 BOOST, #1 TANK WENT TO STEADY INOP, CHKED CB, ETCS, TURNED PUMP OFF. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, REMAINING BOOST PUMP #1 TANK SHOWED LOW PRESSURE. ALSO NOTED DECREASING QTY IN TANK 1A WHICH FEEDS AUTOMATICALLY WHEN TANK 1 IS DEPLETED. TANK 1 QTY HAD DECREASED TO 10200# AND HELD AT THAT POINT. FUEL FROM TANK #1 WAS NOT AVAILABLE EXCEPT THROUGH GRAVITY FEED. I CONFERRED WITH DISPATCH AND TECH SVCS AND DIVERTED TO CLT. TANK #1 WAS FOUND TO BE BONE DRY. READING 1 CM ON STICK 2, TANK 1 IS VERY NEAR TO BOTTOMED OUT ON THAT STICK. THAT STICK READING STARTS IN THE 16000-16500# AREA. I SUSPECT THAT IT WAS IN FACT AT ITS LOWER LIMIT, NOT IN FACT READING ANYTHING. STICK 1 IN TANK 1 READS UP TO A MAX IN THE 14000# AREA. I SUGGEST THAT AS A MATTER OF POLICY, WHEN FUEL LOAD IN TANKS 1 & 2 ARE IN LOWER LIMIT AREA OF #2 STICK, THAT #1 STICK IS ALSO CHKED TO ASSURE THAT FUEL IS AT LEAST IN THE 14000# AREA, AS A DOUBLE CHK. THERE IS A 2000# NEVER NEVER LAND BTWN STICKS #1 AND 2 READING CAPABILITY. HAD THE LOGBOOK BEEN ON THE AIRPLANE, I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE NOTED PREVIOUS #1 TANK QTY. WRITEUPS (CLRED) AND BEEN MUCH MORE SUSPICIOUS. NUMEROUS VECTORS AND ROUTE CHANGES TO ILM AREA PRECLUDED THE CONVENIENT PERUSAL OF THE LOGBOOK BY ME, TO THAT POINT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 94511: LANDED AT CLT. THE GAUGE STILL SHOWED 10000# BUT THE TANK WAS EMPTY. IT WAS REFUELED AND AFTER APPROPRIATE ENTRIES IN THE LOGBOOK, THE ACFT WAS RELEASED AND WE PROCEEDED TO MIA.

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.