Fuel gauge problem, reading low.

Attributes
ACN	96628
Time
Date	198810
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	96628
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Upon leveling at cruise, left fuel gauge dropped 600 pounds.--disconnected autopilot, a/C appeared in balance. Put aircraft back on autopilot, right gauge dropped 3000+ pounds to around 1500. Stayed down 2-3 min, then started fluctuating. Took fuel slip, and found the gallons total, converted to pounds, added to block in fuel of previous flight did not match gauges, fuel slip, or flight plan. All three matched at T/O. As the aircraft had 2 previous write ups for gauges reading high, not low, elected to divert to slc, the nearest suitable airport, as it was within gliding distance. Maintenance should have fixed this the first time! On the ground, the a/C was dripsticked, and the gauges came up to match. After maintenance signed off, the a/C was topped off, redripped, and ferried to our maintenance base with a mechanic on the jump seat. In-flight, he observed the same problems as the previous flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL GAUGE PROBLEM, READING LOW.

Narrative: UPON LEVELING AT CRUISE, LEFT FUEL GAUGE DROPPED 600 LBS.--DISCONNECTED AUTOPILOT, A/C APPEARED IN BALANCE. PUT ACFT BACK ON AUTOPILOT, RIGHT GAUGE DROPPED 3000+ LBS TO AROUND 1500. STAYED DOWN 2-3 MIN, THEN STARTED FLUCTUATING. TOOK FUEL SLIP, AND FOUND THE GALLONS TOTAL, CONVERTED TO LBS, ADDED TO BLOCK IN FUEL OF PREVIOUS FLIGHT DID NOT MATCH GAUGES, FUEL SLIP, OR FLIGHT PLAN. ALL THREE MATCHED AT T/O. AS THE ACFT HAD 2 PREVIOUS WRITE UPS FOR GAUGES READING HIGH, NOT LOW, ELECTED TO DIVERT TO SLC, THE NEAREST SUITABLE AIRPORT, AS IT WAS WITHIN GLIDING DISTANCE. MAINT SHOULD HAVE FIXED THIS THE FIRST TIME! ON THE GND, THE A/C WAS DRIPSTICKED, AND THE GAUGES CAME UP TO MATCH. AFTER MAINT SIGNED OFF, THE A/C WAS TOPPED OFF, REDRIPPED, AND FERRIED TO OUR MAINT BASE WITH A MECHANIC ON THE JUMP SEAT. INFLT, HE OBSERVED THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT.

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.