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Widebody transport aircraft in hold pattern at low altitude was slowed at request of ATC to speed where flaps were required. Increased drag caused high rate of fuel burn, causing flight crew concern when total hold estimate was unavailable.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 123533 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198909 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : iad |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 123533 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
We were assigned to hold at hyper. Told controller aircraft was going to have a fuel problem if hold became excessive. Altitude was 10000'. Taken out of hold, descended to 7000, 5000, then 2000'. The problem: control slowed aircraft to 170 KTS, requiring 5 degree flaps, high deck angle and fuel flow. Advised controller of fuel and high fuel flow because of airspeed. Was told slow down or extensive vectoring. Further reduction to 150 KTS, 10 degree flaps. The time from leaving hyper to landing was 25 mins, and a fuel burn of 8000 pounds. Aircraft landed with minimum fuel. There should be some way of letting a pilot know the extent of the final vector or time it will take to complete the vectors. It is necessary for a pilot to have all the facts and figures at hand to make the proper decision.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WDB ACFT IN HOLD PATTERN AT LOW ALT WAS SLOWED AT REQUEST OF ATC TO SPEED WHERE FLAPS WERE REQUIRED. INCREASED DRAG CAUSED HIGH RATE OF FUEL BURN, CAUSING FLT CREW CONCERN WHEN TOTAL HOLD ESTIMATE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED TO HOLD AT HYPER. TOLD CTLR ACFT WAS GOING TO HAVE A FUEL PROB IF HOLD BECAME EXCESSIVE. ALT WAS 10000'. TAKEN OUT OF HOLD, DSNDED TO 7000, 5000, THEN 2000'. THE PROB: CTL SLOWED ACFT TO 170 KTS, REQUIRING 5 DEG FLAPS, HIGH DECK ANGLE AND FUEL FLOW. ADVISED CTLR OF FUEL AND HIGH FUEL FLOW BECAUSE OF AIRSPD. WAS TOLD SLOW DOWN OR EXTENSIVE VECTORING. FURTHER REDUCTION TO 150 KTS, 10 DEG FLAPS. THE TIME FROM LEAVING HYPER TO LNDG WAS 25 MINS, AND A FUEL BURN OF 8000 LBS. ACFT LANDED WITH MINIMUM FUEL. THERE SHOULD BE SOME WAY OF LETTING A PLT KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE FINAL VECTOR OR TIME IT WILL TAKE TO COMPLETE THE VECTORS. IT IS NECESSARY FOR A PLT TO HAVE ALL THE FACTS AND FIGURES AT HAND TO MAKE THE PROPER DECISION.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.