BEECH 1900 ACFT FUEL WAS INADEQUATE FOR MISSION. FLT HAD TO DIVERT ENRTE FOR FUEL.

Narrative

ON MAY/FRI/97 AT APPROX XA50 IN ABQ; ACR X ARRIVED AT THE GATE AND PAX WERE DEPLANED FROM ACFT. AT APPROX XB05 IN ABQ; THE CREW WAS INFORMED TO SWAP INTO ACFT A. THE CAPT PERFORMED THE PREFLT; ORDERED FUEL 'TOP THE MAINS' (3242 LBS) AND CHANGED THE 'ACFT TAIL NUMBER' ON THE DISPATCH RELEASE FROM B TO A. ACFT C WAS ON A MECHANICAL DELAY AT THE TIME. THE DISCREPANCY WAS CLRED AND AT APPROX XB30 IN ABQ; PAX ENRTE TO LRU WERE LOADED ABOARD ACR X. THE CAPT CHKED THE FUEL DURING THE BEFORE START CHKLIST AT 1800 LBS AND HE DETERMINED IT TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR LRU. ACR X ACFT A LEFT THE GATE IN ABQ AT APPROX XB35. AT CRUISE DURING THE 'CRUISE CHKLIST;' THE CAPT DETERMINED THE FUEL LOAD; WHILE SUFFICIENT FOR THE FLT; DID NOT MATCH THE DISPATCH RELEASE FUEL LOAD OF 3200 LBS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MAIN TANKS HAD NOT BEEN TOPPED. THE CAPT NOTIFIED DISPATCH VIA ARINC AND THE DISPATCHER DECIDED TO DIVERT ACR X ACFT A TO ALM. THE DISPATCH RELEASE WAS AMENDED AT THAT TIME. AT APPROX XC35 ACR X ACFT A LANDED IN ALM WITHOUT INCIDENT WITH APPROX 1000 LBS OF RESERVE FUEL OR ABOUT 1 HR 15 MINS RESERVE.