Safety Investigation Report 2018:1 Factual Information/1.6/1.6.6 Fuel
SAFETY INVESTIGATION REPORT MH370 (9M-MRO)
1.6.6 Fuel
The aircraft used Jet A-1 fuel. Following the previous flight, as per records in the Transit Check and Fuel Log, the total remaining fuel before refuelling as per the cockpit indication was 8,200 kg (Left Tank was 3,700 kg and Right Tank was 4,500 kg). Total departure fuel after refuelling was 49,700 kg (Left Tank was 24,900 kg and Right Tank was 24,800 kg) as indicated in the cockpit.
The fuel weight on board corresponded to a planned trip-fuel of 37,200 kg. Based on MH370 ATC flight plan dated 07 March 2014, the take-off fuel recorded was 49,100 kg. This figure differed slightly from the take-off fuel figure of 49,200 kg generated by the Aircraft Condition Monitoring System (ACMS) and transmitted by Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS). The difference was due to the actual time the fuel figure was taken from the aircraft fuel quantity indication system, by Operations for the load sheet, and by the ACMS for the ACARS report, considering fluctuations in the fuel quantity indication. The investigation estimated that the aircraft would have had 41,500 kg fuel remaining after 41 minutes flying from KLIA to IGARI.
The last position report transmitted via ACARS at 1707:29 UTC, 07 March 2014 [0107:29 MYT, 08 March 2014] recorded remaining fuel of 43,800 kg at 35,004 ft altitude.
ATC flight plan forecast recorded remaining fuel of 11,900 kg at landing, including 7,700 kg of diversion fuel. The first alternate airport, Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport (China), was estimated to be 46 minutes from the diversion point with 4,800 kg fuel required and the second alternate airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (China) was estimated to be 1 hour 45 minutes with 10,700 kg fuel required.
The fuel carried on board for the flight met the regulatory requirements on the minimum required, taking into account the use of possible diversion airports. There was also no evidence that more than the reasonable amount required was carried.