Private pilot IFR request direct routing due to minimum fuel.

Attributes
ACN	274633
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rac
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v170
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 856 flight time type : 201
ASRS Report	274633
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was flying over lake michigan with flight plan and verbal requests 'direct' timmerman field. I advised ZAU that I wanted minimum overwater flight time. ZAU continued to vector me north although I needed to go northwest. With about 8 gallons of fuel remaining, I advised chicago that I was minimum fuel. They then cleared me direct. Upon landing at racine, wi, I was advised by another pilot that milwaukee tower wanted me to call them. After landing, milwaukee called me at racine airport. I feel that ZAU need not route traffic so far over the lake -- especially singles.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT IFR REQUEST DIRECT ROUTING DUE TO MINIMUM FUEL.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING OVER LAKE MICHIGAN WITH FLT PLAN AND VERBAL REQUESTS 'DIRECT' TIMMERMAN FIELD. I ADVISED ZAU THAT I WANTED MINIMUM OVERWATER FLT TIME. ZAU CONTINUED TO VECTOR ME N ALTHOUGH I NEEDED TO GO NW. WITH ABOUT 8 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING, I ADVISED CHICAGO THAT I WAS MINIMUM FUEL. THEY THEN CLRED ME DIRECT. UPON LNDG AT RACINE, WI, I WAS ADVISED BY ANOTHER PLT THAT MILWAUKEE TWR WANTED ME TO CALL THEM. AFTER LNDG, MILWAUKEE CALLED ME AT RACINE ARPT. I FEEL THAT ZAU NEED NOT RTE TFC SO FAR OVER THE LAKE -- ESPECIALLY SINGLES.

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.