Narrative:

ZLA requested remaining fuel. I may have misunderstood question. I answered with quantity after calculating and subtracting fuel required to reach my destination. Shortly thereafter, center asked an airline behind me the same question. They responded 15 extra. On their handoff to tower, ATC advised them to report to tower of their fuel emergency. The pilot responded he did not have an emergency as he had normal fuel requirement. I realized even though ATC did not advise me the same that a misunderstanding took place. Maybe we both should have reported total fuel remaining and allowed ATC to compute what we would need to our destination. This is more complicated as the pilot not knowing of future assigned altitudes or diversions cannot accurately compute remaining fuel at destination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHEN ATC ASKED FOR HIS FUEL REMAINING, RPTR GAVE THE FUEL HE ESTIMATED HE WOULD HAVE ON BOARD AFTER HIS LNDG.

Narrative: ZLA REQUESTED REMAINING FUEL. I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD QUESTION. I ANSWERED WITH QUANTITY AFTER CALCULATING AND SUBTRACTING FUEL REQUIRED TO REACH MY DEST. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CTR ASKED AN AIRLINE BEHIND ME THE SAME QUESTION. THEY RESPONDED 15 EXTRA. ON THEIR HDOF TO TWR, ATC ADVISED THEM TO RPT TO TWR OF THEIR FUEL EMER. THE PLT RESPONDED HE DID NOT HAVE AN EMER AS HE HAD NORMAL FUEL REQUIREMENT. I REALIZED EVEN THOUGH ATC DID NOT ADVISE ME THE SAME THAT A MISUNDERSTANDING TOOK PLACE. MAYBE WE BOTH SHOULD HAVE RPTED TOTAL FUEL REMAINING AND ALLOWED ATC TO COMPUTE WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO OUR DEST. THIS IS MORE COMPLICATED AS THE PLT NOT KNOWING OF FUTURE ASSIGNED ALTS OR DIVERSIONS CANNOT ACCURATELY COMPUTE REMAINING FUEL AT DEST.

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.