Narrative:

We departed washington national for memphis with WX reports and forecasts showing good WX en route and at memphis. In the 1 hour it took us to get to a point 100 mi northeast of mem, a line of thunderstorms developed. When first observed by our radar the line was loosely defined with many wide holes. We elected to stay north of the line which was oriented east/west. Our plan was to pass through the line at a break located north of mem. In the 15 mins it took to reach the break in the line, it closed, solid. We then headed for another break 40 mi further west. It amazingly closed prior to our reaching that point. By this time our fuel state required action. All suitable airports were on the other side of the ever thickening line. We picked the remains of a previously noted break in the line and penetrated the line. It was a very smooth ride to clear skies. We were then equidistant between memphis and little rock with the fuel at a state that would put us on the ground having consumed several hundred pounds of reserve fuel. Receiving assurances that there would be no delay at mem, we landed there.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DETOURING AROUND TSTM ACTIVITY CAUSES ACR LGT TO DIP INTO SOME OF HIS RESERVE FUEL.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED WASHINGTON NATIONAL FOR MEMPHIS WITH WX RPTS AND FORECASTS SHOWING GOOD WX ENRTE AND AT MEMPHIS. IN THE 1 HR IT TOOK US TO GET TO A POINT 100 MI NE OF MEM, A LINE OF TSTMS DEVELOPED. WHEN FIRST OBSERVED BY OUR RADAR THE LINE WAS LOOSELY DEFINED WITH MANY WIDE HOLES. WE ELECTED TO STAY N OF THE LINE WHICH WAS ORIENTED E/W. OUR PLAN WAS TO PASS THROUGH THE LINE AT A BREAK LOCATED N OF MEM. IN THE 15 MINS IT TOOK TO REACH THE BREAK IN THE LINE, IT CLOSED, SOLID. WE THEN HEADED FOR ANOTHER BREAK 40 MI FURTHER W. IT AMAZINGLY CLOSED PRIOR TO OUR REACHING THAT POINT. BY THIS TIME OUR FUEL STATE REQUIRED ACTION. ALL SUITABLE ARPTS WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EVER THICKENING LINE. WE PICKED THE REMAINS OF A PREVIOUSLY NOTED BREAK IN THE LINE AND PENETRATED THE LINE. IT WAS A VERY SMOOTH RIDE TO CLEAR SKIES. WE WERE THEN EQUIDISTANT BTWN MEMPHIS AND LITTLE ROCK WITH THE FUEL AT A STATE THAT WOULD PUT US ON THE GND HAVING CONSUMED SEVERAL HUNDRED LBS OF RESERVE FUEL. RECEIVING ASSURANCES THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DELAY AT MEM, WE LANDED THERE.

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.