FLC OF A B727-100 TOOK OFF WITH AN UNBALANCED FUEL LOAD CAUSED BY AN ERRONEOUS FUEL LOAD.

Narrative

ACFT WAS B727-200. TANK #3 FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR WAS INOP; PROPERLY DOCUMENTED IN LOGBOOK. SCHEDULED TO DEPART WITH A FUEL LOAD OF TANK #1 - 10;200 LBS; TANK #2 - 10100 LBS; TANK #3 - 10200 LBS. PAPERWORK SHOWED ACTUAL LOAD OF 10500/10300/10200 LBS. TO DETERMINE QUANTITY IN TANK #3 PROCS REQUIRED FUELER TO EMPTY TANK COMPLETELY; THEN PUMP A KNOWN QUANTITY INTO TANK FROM EITHER FUEL TRUCK OR OTHER TANKS. FUELING PAPERWORK AND FUELER AGENT INDICATED THIS PROC WAS ACCOMPLISHED. ON TKOF; ACFT ROLLED TO THE L; REQUIRING APPROX 30 DEG R YOKE AND 1 DEG R AILERON; 1 DEG R RUDDER TO MAINTAIN NEAR WINGS-LEVEL FLT. SPOKE TO COMPANY DISPATCHER ABOUT SUGGESTED FUEL IMBALANCE. AS FUEL WAS BURNED OFF; LESS YOKE DISPLACEMENT WAS REQUIRED. CHOSE TO DIVERT TO ATLANTA (SCHEDULED JFK-WEST PALM BEACH; FL). AFTER LNDG; IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT TANK #3 WAS IMPROPERLY REFUELED; TOOK OFF WITH APPROX 5000 LBS IN #1 AND #3. ACFT LIMIT IS 1000 LBS IMBALANCE. THIS PROB WAS CAUSED BY IMPROPERLY TRAINED (MY OPINION) FUELERS. MY COMPANY WAS 'DOWNSIZED' AND 'OUTSIDE WORK;' IE; GUTTED OUR OPS IN THE PAST 2 YRS. 15-25 YRS VETERANS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH MINIMUM WAGE; UNTRAINED; AND APATHETIC COMMITTED EMPLOYEES. MY INCIDENT IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. NORMAL OPS USED TO DRIPSTICK TANKS; BUT SINCE FUELERS WERE BOTCHING THAT; A CHANGE WAS MADE TO EMPTY TANK; THEN ADD A KNOWN QUANTITY. MY BIGGEST GRIPE IS THAT THE PAPERWORK SHOWED PROPER FUELING; YET WE WERE SHORT APPROX 5000 LBS; NOT GOOD. TODAY I HAD ANOTHER IMBALANCE; TANK #2 INDICATOR WAS INOP; CAUGHT PRIOR TO TKOF DUE TO REVIEW OF FUEL SHEET. FUELERS SHOWED US 7000 LBS IN TANK #2; YET THE SHEET SHOWED PROPER AMOUNT LOADED. NOTICE A TREND? UNSAFE.