A B757 crew found the right fuel gauge and totalizer both blank and not knowing the problem declared...

Attributes
ACN	989888
Time
Date	201201
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Fuel Quantity-Pressure Indication
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Person 2
Function	Pilot Flying First Officer
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Conflict Airborne Conflict Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue

Narrative:

After climbing out; discovered right fuel gauge and totalize 'blank.' called dispatch and maintenance and agreed to land at a nearby divert airport; since we didn't know if this was the problem or a symptom of a bigger fuel problem. Was just this gauge out; or did we lose fuel from the right side also? The only gauge to show fuel was the left side approximately 9;600 pounds (that's not enough to go to our filed destination). Declared emergency and went to the divert airport. On visual approach to runway xxl; TCAS reported an airplane off our right. This aircraft was landing on runway xxr. The copilot was flying and had him in sight. TCAS told us to climb; which we did. Copilot always had the aircraft in sight; but since TCAS said climb; we did climb. After conflict resolved we continued on the approach and landed uneventfully. Had maintenance determine it was just a gauge problem. Had it deferred and placard. [We] had quantity check by lowering the fuel sticks. Got new release then went to our filed destination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 crew found the right fuel gauge and totalizer both blank and not knowing the problem declared an emergency and diverted for a maintenance examination; which determined the cause to be a gauge failure.

Narrative: After climbing out; discovered right fuel gauge and totalize 'blank.' Called Dispatch and Maintenance and agreed to land at a nearby divert airport; since we didn't know if this was the problem or a symptom of a bigger fuel problem. Was just this gauge out; or did we lose fuel from the right side also? The only gauge to show fuel was the left side approximately 9;600 LBS (that's not enough to go to our filed destination). Declared emergency and went to the divert airport. On visual approach to Runway XXL; TCAS reported an airplane off our right. This aircraft was landing on Runway XXR. The copilot was flying and had him in sight. TCAS told us to climb; which we did. Copilot always had the aircraft in sight; but since TCAS said climb; we did climb. After conflict resolved we continued on the approach and landed uneventfully. Had Maintenance determine it was just a gauge problem. Had it deferred and placard. [We] had quantity check by lowering the fuel sticks. Got new release then went to our filed destination.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.