An air carrier light transport crew refused an ATC vector because of low fuel state.

Attributes
ACN	228452
Time
Date	199212
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : scy airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zfw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	228452
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	228310
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Left mlu with min fuel established by company for the flight. Stayed at 6000 ft instead of filed, 10000 ft, to avoid strong headwinds. Approximately 60 east of scurry, ATC asked us to slow to 180 KTS for spacing into dfw. We complied. Note: fuel was right at min fuel. 20 mi out from scurry, ATC told us to turn to 210 degrees and slow to 160 KTS. At this point, captain became irritated and responded 'no.' ATC said to 'say again.' response 'no.' short pause, ATC said 'air carrier are you saying no?' response, 'that's right, no, we've been at 6000 ft from mlu bucking headwinds and things are tight. We're going direct scurry.' ATC responded 'are you at 160 KTS?' 'yes.' 'well that's all you had to say, cleared direct scurry, maintain 6000 ft.' upon landing, FAA was on telephone violating captain for not adhering to ATC instructions. Note: we landed 100 pounds short of min reserve fuel. Captain should have explained the fuel concern to ATC rather than snapping 'no!' I was the 'PF' and felt I could not step over captain response. Supplemental information from acn 228310: if we start carrying too much fuel, the company will ask you why, and may give you a reprimand for it. At this time the controller asked what I wanted to do. The answer was that I was going to run short (on fuel). Landing with 400 pounds of fuel on board which is 250 pounds less than what it should be. I also had to consider the gauges themselves are not all that accurate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LTT CREW REFUSED AN ATC VECTOR BECAUSE OF LOW FUEL STATE.

Narrative: LEFT MLU WITH MIN FUEL ESTABLISHED BY COMPANY FOR THE FLT. STAYED AT 6000 FT INSTEAD OF FILED, 10000 FT, TO AVOID STRONG HEADWINDS. APPROX 60 E OF SCURRY, ATC ASKED US TO SLOW TO 180 KTS FOR SPACING INTO DFW. WE COMPLIED. NOTE: FUEL WAS RIGHT AT MIN FUEL. 20 MI OUT FROM SCURRY, ATC TOLD US TO TURN TO 210 DEGS AND SLOW TO 160 KTS. AT THIS POINT, CAPT BECAME IRRITATED AND RESPONDED 'NO.' ATC SAID TO 'SAY AGAIN.' RESPONSE 'NO.' SHORT PAUSE, ATC SAID 'ACR ARE YOU SAYING NO?' RESPONSE, 'THAT'S RIGHT, NO, WE'VE BEEN AT 6000 FT FROM MLU BUCKING HEADWINDS AND THINGS ARE TIGHT. WE'RE GOING DIRECT SCURRY.' ATC RESPONDED 'ARE YOU AT 160 KTS?' 'YES.' 'WELL THAT'S ALL YOU HAD TO SAY, CLRED DIRECT SCURRY, MAINTAIN 6000 FT.' UPON LNDG, FAA WAS ON TELEPHONE VIOLATING CAPT FOR NOT ADHERING TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS. NOTE: WE LANDED 100 LBS SHORT OF MIN RESERVE FUEL. CAPT SHOULD HAVE EXPLAINED THE FUEL CONCERN TO ATC RATHER THAN SNAPPING 'NO!' I WAS THE 'PF' AND FELT I COULD NOT STEP OVER CAPT RESPONSE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 228310: IF WE START CARRYING TOO MUCH FUEL, THE COMPANY WILL ASK YOU WHY, AND MAY GIVE YOU A REPRIMAND FOR IT. AT THIS TIME THE CTLR ASKED WHAT I WANTED TO DO. THE ANSWER WAS THAT I WAS GOING TO RUN SHORT (ON FUEL). LNDG WITH 400 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD WHICH IS 250 LBS LESS THAN WHAT IT SHOULD BE. I ALSO HAD TO CONSIDER THE GAUGES THEMSELVES ARE NOT ALL THAT ACCURATE.

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.