FLC MISREAD FUEL GAUGES DURING PREFLT AND DIDN'T DISCOVER THEIR ERROR UNTIL AIRBORNE. THEY HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO COMPLETE THEIR FLT; BUT PROBABLY NOT WITH FAR REQUIREMENTS. FO RPTR ATTRIBUTES SEVERAL FACTORS TO MAKING THE ERROR -- SAW FUEL TRUCK AT ACFT (ASSUMED FUEL WOULD BE CORRECT); TOO TRUSTWORTHY OF CAPT AND PERSONAL PREOCCUPATION WITH WIFE'S ILLNESS.

Narrative

AFTER ARRIVING AT COLLEGE STATION EASTERWOOD FIELD (CLL) WE DEPLANED PAX AND POSTFLTED THE ACFT. THERE WAS A FUEL TRUCK PRESENT WHEN I WALKED AROUND THE ACFT. AFTER ABOUT 1 HR; 20 MINS WE RETURNED TO THE SAME ACFT. WE PERFORMED COCKPIT CLEAN UP AND BEFORE STARTING CHKLISTS WHICH INCLUDES FUEL QUANTITY AND TOTALIZER CHKS. WHEN FUEL QUANTITY WAS CALLED 2500 LBS; I GLANCED AT THE FUEL GAUGES AND CONFIRMED THE QUANTITY. AFTER DEP WHILE LEVELING AT 12000 FT; BOTH THE CAPT AND MYSELF NOTICED WHEN DOING THE CRUISE CHK; WHICH INCLUDES FUEL BAL; THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED LESS THAN WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE. AFTERWARDS; I IMMEDIATELY CHKED FUEL FLOW AND WITH THE QUANTITY REMAINING I COMPUTED WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE FLT. CONFIRMING THIS WITH THE DISPATCH RELEASE (2350 LBS RELEASE FUEL) AND FLT MANIFEST (2500 LBS TO BE LOADED) WE CONFIRMED WE HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLT WITH ABOUT 600 LBS REMAINING AFTER LNG WHICH IS APPROX 45 MINS RESERVE. (AT THIS POINT WE REALIZED WE HAD MISREAD THE FUEL GAUGES WHICH READ 1500 LBS; 750 LBS EACH SIDE NOT 2500 LBS-1250 LBS EACH SIDE DURING PREFLT.) THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND WX WAS VMC. WE CONTINUED THE FLT AND LANDED AT DFW ARPT WITH 650 LBS ON BOARD. WE MISREAD THE GAUGES BECAUSE WE BOTH SAW THE FUEL TRUCK EARLIER AND EXPECTED TO SEE WHAT WAS REQUIRED QUANTITY. THE CAPT AND MYSELF HAVE FLOWN TOGETHER FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED HRS AND HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF TRUST IN EACH OTHER WHICH LED TO NOT HAVING A CRITICAL VIEW OF EACH OTHER'S ACTIONS. MY PREOCCUPATION WITH AN ILLNESS; MY WIFE SEEING A DOCTOR ABOUT THIS DAY.