<< >> NASA ASRS Report 181280, June 1991

Flight crew of medium large transport requested and were given priority handing for descent because of alleged low fuel condition.

Attributes
ACN	181280
Time
Date	199106
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	181280
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were dispatched mem to ord with 18200# of fuel. This included 8.7K# to destination, 1.6K# to altitude, 5.1K# reserve and 2.3K of contingency fuel. Shortly after reaching cruising altitude of FL330, we were giving a long delaying vector 90 degrees to our route of flight, followed by several more vectors. At this point we asked if the vectors would continue because we were burning most of our contingency fuel. We were promised this would be the last vector and handed over to ZAU. ZAU immediately initiated more delaying vectors that caused us to declare minimum fuel and ask for priority handling into ord. The flight landed with all the altitude fuel and most of the reserve fuel. If priority handing was not asked for, I am certain we would have burned considerably more fuel and possibly had a much more serious fuel situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG REQUESTED AND WERE GIVEN PRIORITY HANDING FOR DESCENT BECAUSE OF ALLEGED LOW FUEL CONDITION.

Narrative: WE WERE DISPATCHED MEM TO ORD WITH 18200# OF FUEL. THIS INCLUDED 8.7K# TO DEST, 1.6K# TO ALT, 5.1K# RESERVE AND 2.3K OF CONTINGENCY FUEL. SHORTLY AFTER REACHING CRUISING ALT OF FL330, WE WERE GIVING A LONG DELAYING VECTOR 90 DEGS TO OUR RTE OF FLT, FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL MORE VECTORS. AT THIS POINT WE ASKED IF THE VECTORS WOULD CONTINUE BECAUSE WE WERE BURNING MOST OF OUR CONTINGENCY FUEL. WE WERE PROMISED THIS WOULD BE THE LAST VECTOR AND HANDED OVER TO ZAU. ZAU IMMEDIATELY INITIATED MORE DELAYING VECTORS THAT CAUSED US TO DECLARE MINIMUM FUEL AND ASK FOR PRIORITY HANDLING INTO ORD. THE FLT LANDED WITH ALL THE ALT FUEL AND MOST OF THE RESERVE FUEL. IF PRIORITY HANDING WAS NOT ASKED FOR, I AM CERTAIN WE WOULD HAVE BURNED CONSIDERABLY MORE FUEL AND POSSIBLY HAD A MUCH MORE SERIOUS FUEL SITUATION.

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.