AN MD80 WHILE BEING FUELED THE FUELER NOTED A FLUCTUATING FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR. AFTER FUELING; THE TANKS WERE STUCK AND FOUND 3000 LBS IN ERROR.

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DURING FUELING OF FLT IN ZZZ; THE FUELER NOTICED A FLUCTUATING FUEL INDICATOR. ON HIS OWN; HE STICKED THE TANKS AND FOUND THERE WAS A LARGE DISCREPANCY IN BTWN THE STICK READINGS AND INDICATED FUEL. THERE WAS AROUND 3000 LBS LESS FUEL IN THE L TANK THAN WAS INDICATED. HAVING 3000 LBS LESS IN A MAIN TANK IS A SERIOUS CONDITION ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE ROUTINELY SCHEDULED TO LAND WITH 6000 LBS -- 3000 LBS IN EACH TANK. HIS DEDICATION TO ACCURACY PREVENTED A SIT WHERE WE COULD HAVE LANDED WITH NO FUEL IN ONE OF OUR WING TANKS EVEN THOUGH THE INDICATOR SAID OTHERWISE. PLEASE FIND THE FUELER AND THANK HIM. WE REALLY APPRECIATE HIS DEDICATION TO ACCURATELY FUELING OUR AIRPLANE. NOTE: THE ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM SVC AND A SPARE WAS USED TO COMPLETE THE FLT. WE XFERRED FUEL FROM THE CTR TO THE WING TANKS TO SEE HOW MUCH FUEL COULD BE XFERRED BEFORE THE AUTOMATIC SHUTOFF SYS CUT IN. AS IT TURNED OUT; MORE THAN 3000 LBS WERE XFERRED INTO BOTH TANKS. MOST WENT INTO THE L BUT SOME WENT INTO THE R WING TANK. THE ACFT WAS GNDED; AND WE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL A TERMINATING FLT ARRIVED TO GET A NEW ACFT.