Small aircraft atx pilot declares minimum fuel state to approach controller for priority handling in...

Attributes
ACN	156128
Time
Date	199009
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fai
State Reference	AK
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fai
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	156128
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After dropping off cargo at destination I was returning to base with no revenue (part 91). I had 2 hours, 15 mins fuel on board, estimated time en route was 1.3 hours. I decided to go IFR direct rather than scud-run VFR around the mountain passes which would cut fuel margin too low. I called zan for pop-up IFR request. Fai was reporting 1700', 10 mi visibility. Much greater headwinds than forecase along with unexpected ice cut ground speed and increased ETA to a point that caused concern. Fai was closest and as I was cleared direct I continued with plan a. (Although ice was forecast 3 PIREPS from my route given the previous hour or so indicated no icing.) center switched me to approach. Approach started vectoring me to allow faster traffic behind me to overtake. I informed the controller I was 'minimum fuel statue.' I was then made #1 for the ILS. I landed and had 15 mins fuel remaining. The ice was very light and merely slowed me down. By the time I was given to approach it was gone. The problem was my en route ground speed was 30 KTS and slower than expected. Also, here in ak no other alternates other than the original destination exist.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ATX PLT DECLARES MINIMUM FUEL STATE TO APCH CTLR FOR PRIORITY HANDLING INTO FAI.

Narrative: AFTER DROPPING OFF CARGO AT DEST I WAS RETURNING TO BASE WITH NO REVENUE (PART 91). I HAD 2 HRS, 15 MINS FUEL ON BOARD, ESTIMATED TIME ENRTE WAS 1.3 HRS. I DECIDED TO GO IFR DIRECT RATHER THAN SCUD-RUN VFR AROUND THE MOUNTAIN PASSES WHICH WOULD CUT FUEL MARGIN TOO LOW. I CALLED ZAN FOR POP-UP IFR REQUEST. FAI WAS RPTING 1700', 10 MI VISIBILITY. MUCH GREATER HEADWINDS THAN FORECASE ALONG WITH UNEXPECTED ICE CUT GND SPD AND INCREASED ETA TO A POINT THAT CAUSED CONCERN. FAI WAS CLOSEST AND AS I WAS CLRED DIRECT I CONTINUED WITH PLAN A. (ALTHOUGH ICE WAS FORECAST 3 PIREPS FROM MY RTE GIVEN THE PREVIOUS HR OR SO INDICATED NO ICING.) CENTER SWITCHED ME TO APCH. APCH STARTED VECTORING ME TO ALLOW FASTER TFC BEHIND ME TO OVERTAKE. I INFORMED THE CTLR I WAS 'MINIMUM FUEL STATUE.' I WAS THEN MADE #1 FOR THE ILS. I LANDED AND HAD 15 MINS FUEL REMAINING. THE ICE WAS VERY LIGHT AND MERELY SLOWED ME DOWN. BY THE TIME I WAS GIVEN TO APCH IT WAS GONE. THE PROB WAS MY ENRTE GND SPD WAS 30 KTS AND SLOWER THAN EXPECTED. ALSO, HERE IN AK NO OTHER ALTERNATES OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL DEST EXIST.

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.

Small aircraft atx pilot declares minimum fuel state to approach controller for priority handling into fai.