PART 121 COMMUTER CAPT DEPARTED ARPT WITH FUEL LESS THAN SPECIFIED IN COMPANY RELEASE.

Narrative

CHKED WX FOR DEST CLT. CLT WAS CLR PLUS 7 WITH FORECAST FOR CLR. NO ALTERNATE REQUIRED. SIGNED AND ACCEPTED RELEASE FOR FLT EWN-CLT WHICH CALLED FOR PREFERRED FUEL OF 4400 LBS AND MINIMUM FUEL OF 4300 LBS (ALTERNATE OF GSO). DURING ORIGINATING PREFLT; I RESPONDED 3600 LBS TO THE CHKLIST ITEM 'FUEL QUANTITY.' NEITHER THE FO NOR MYSELF THOUGHT ANYTHING OF THIS BECAUSE 3200 LBS IS THE NORM FOR DEP FUEL OUT OF EWN FOR CLT IN VFR CONDITIONS. AFTER TKOF; FO RADIOED EWN WITH OUT AND OFF TIMES AND FUEL. EWN ASKED US IF WE REALIZED MINIMUM FUEL WAS 4300 LBS; WOULD WE LIKE TO CHANGE OUR FUEL? WE RESPONDED THAT TIMES WERE AM30 AND AM34 WITH FUEL OF 3600 LBS. I FLEW WHILE FO RADIOED DISPATCH IN SBY. WE ASKED IF OUR RELEASE COULD BE AMENDED WITH A NEW MINIMUM FUEL UPON REVIEW OF CLT WX. DISPATCHER STATED NO; ALTERNATE WAS REQUIRED; NEW MINIMUM FUEL WAS 3350 LBS PER XY AT AM50Z. HE HAD INCLUDED ALTERNATE BECAUSE EARLIER THAT MORNING CLT WAS IFR. IT WAS A STUPID MISTAKE ON MY PART. I KNEW EARLIER THAT THE RELEASE CALLED FOR A PREFERRED FUEL OF 4400 LBS. AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINATING CHKLIST; HOWEVER; 3600 LBS SOUNDED JUST FINE WITH THE CURRENT AND FORECAST VFR CONDITIONS AT EWN AND CLT. (THE FUEL TRACK HAD BEEN CALLED BUT NEVER ARRIVED). FELT FORTUNATE THAT A RETURN TO EWN WAS NOT REQUIRED AND RELEASE WAS AMENDABLE (THOUGH NOT DONE SO UNTIL AFTER TKOF).