Narrative:

Upon discovering lighter than forecast winds at FL410 we decided that we could eliminate a planned fuel stop at tys if we had ATC cooperation, and if we didn't have the cooperation, we would stop at sdf. When contacting indianapolis ARTCC initially we advised them that we would need to stay at FL410 until 105 south of san. Their indications were that that would be ok. While still 160 mi south they gave us FL350 and wouldn't allow pilot's discretion. 130 south they gave us 'descend now to FL330 pilot's discretion to FL240' followed almost immediately by 'be out of 330 in 2 1/2 mins.' when I questioned that clearance they came back with 'just descend now and maintain 240.' they then turned us over to chicago ARTCC at which time I told indianapolis center to show us as 'min fuel.' when asked to verify we did and I said that it wouldn't have been necessary. Upon contacting chicago they gave us FL310 pilot's discretion to 240 and verified our min fuel. We had updated WX continually and found the WX to be much better the farther north we got, even though forecasts still required an alternate. Prior to the early descent, we would have had fuel to destination plus alternate (mkg) plus 50 mins. Even staying at FL330 we could have had 45 min at altitude. As it was, with chicago's cooperation, we landed with just over an hours fuel (70 min), but if WX had gone below forecast instead of staying above forecast, it would have been uncomfortable, but not unsafe. At the time of the initial descent, ind was much worse than sbn and the descent and vectoring for an approach there would have left us with no more fuel and worse WX than proceeding to sbn, in my estimate. By not informing us that they wouldn't comply with our high altitude request when made, they made fuel a lot tighter than it had to be.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIN FUEL DECLARED BY CPR PIC WHEN ATC ISSUES AN EARLY DSCNT CLRNC PROC.

Narrative: UPON DISCOVERING LIGHTER THAN FORECAST WINDS AT FL410 WE DECIDED THAT WE COULD ELIMINATE A PLANNED FUEL STOP AT TYS IF WE HAD ATC COOPERATION, AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE COOPERATION, WE WOULD STOP AT SDF. WHEN CONTACTING INDIANAPOLIS ARTCC INITIALLY WE ADVISED THEM THAT WE WOULD NEED TO STAY AT FL410 UNTIL 105 S OF SAN. THEIR INDICATIONS WERE THAT THAT WOULD BE OK. WHILE STILL 160 MI S THEY GAVE US FL350 AND WOULDN'T ALLOW PLT'S DISCRETION. 130 S THEY GAVE US 'DSND NOW TO FL330 PLT'S DISCRETION TO FL240' FOLLOWED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BY 'BE OUT OF 330 IN 2 1/2 MINS.' WHEN I QUESTIONED THAT CLRNC THEY CAME BACK WITH 'JUST DSND NOW AND MAINTAIN 240.' THEY THEN TURNED US OVER TO CHICAGO ARTCC AT WHICH TIME I TOLD INDIANAPOLIS CTR TO SHOW US AS 'MIN FUEL.' WHEN ASKED TO VERIFY WE DID AND I SAID THAT IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN NECESSARY. UPON CONTACTING CHICAGO THEY GAVE US FL310 PLT'S DISCRETION TO 240 AND VERIFIED OUR MIN FUEL. WE HAD UPDATED WX CONTINUALLY AND FOUND THE WX TO BE MUCH BETTER THE FARTHER N WE GOT, EVEN THOUGH FORECASTS STILL REQUIRED AN ALTERNATE. PRIOR TO THE EARLY DSCNT, WE WOULD HAVE HAD FUEL TO DEST PLUS ALTERNATE (MKG) PLUS 50 MINS. EVEN STAYING AT FL330 WE COULD HAVE HAD 45 MIN AT ALT. AS IT WAS, WITH CHICAGO'S COOPERATION, WE LANDED WITH JUST OVER AN HRS FUEL (70 MIN), BUT IF WX HAD GONE BELOW FORECAST INSTEAD OF STAYING ABOVE FORECAST, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT NOT UNSAFE. AT THE TIME OF THE INITIAL DSCNT, IND WAS MUCH WORSE THAN SBN AND THE DSCNT AND VECTORING FOR AN APCH THERE WOULD HAVE LEFT US WITH NO MORE FUEL AND WORSE WX THAN PROCEEDING TO SBN, IN MY ESTIMATE. BY NOT INFORMING US THAT THEY WOULDN'T COMPLY WITH OUR HIGH ALT REQUEST WHEN MADE, THEY MADE FUEL A LOT TIGHTER THAN IT HAD TO BE.

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.