Commuter light transport requested priority handling because of excessive fuel burn enroute.

Attributes
ACN	141434
Time
Date	199004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc tracon : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	141434
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On a flight from tys-stl, after encountering stronger than forecast headwinds, I asked stl approach for a shorter route to airport because of excess fuel burn en route. I had in excess of 1 hour fuel supply left. The final approach was excessively long for the time of day (25-30 mi). I landed with legal reserve fuel, but would not have had I flown the previous route. I also had approximately 200# more fuel on board than what the manifest stated, but was within the weight and balance of the aircraft. In advising ATC of my circumstance and in my intention was only that I wanted to avoid extensive delays which may have entered me into my fuel reserve.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE FUEL BURN ENROUTE.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM TYS-STL, AFTER ENCOUNTERING STRONGER THAN FORECAST HEADWINDS, I ASKED STL APCH FOR A SHORTER RTE TO ARPT BECAUSE OF EXCESS FUEL BURN ENRTE. I HAD IN EXCESS OF 1 HR FUEL SUPPLY LEFT. THE FINAL APCH WAS EXCESSIVELY LONG FOR THE TIME OF DAY (25-30 MI). I LANDED WITH LEGAL RESERVE FUEL, BUT WOULD NOT HAVE HAD I FLOWN THE PREVIOUS RTE. I ALSO HAD APPROX 200# MORE FUEL ON BOARD THAN WHAT THE MANIFEST STATED, BUT WAS WITHIN THE WT AND BAL OF THE ACFT. IN ADVISING ATC OF MY CIRCUMSTANCE AND IN MY INTENTION WAS ONLY THAT I WANTED TO AVOID EXTENSIVE DELAYS WHICH MAY HAVE ENTERED ME INTO MY FUEL RESERVE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.