Emergency low fuel due to poor planning.

Attributes
ACN	321190
Time
Date	199511
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iwa
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zab
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	321190
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On that flight I had planned to use 2200 pounds fuel for a 2.1 hour flight. We brought the plane up to 3000 pounds with 2900 pounds for takeoff. Head winds were forecasted and the forecast for phx was clear. The trip went as planned until about 50 DME west of iwa. We were still with center when they gave us holding instructions. The hold had an efc of about 25 min later. I told center I could not accept that clearance due to low fuel. He then gave me a vector away from phx. I then told him I could not accept a clearance away from the airport as my fuel would become a problem. To say the least he showed little interest in our problem. At that time I had little choice but to declare an emergency due to possibility of low fuel. We were then turned over to phx approach. They asked me if we could fly a normal downwind 13 mi and I checked our fuel and told him it would be ok. We landed in phx on runway 26L as planned. When I left fat I had planned to land at phx with 700 pounds reserve fuel. I felt that the holding clearance would have reduced my reserve fuel in such a way that it would become an unsafe situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER LOW FUEL DUE TO POOR PLANNING.

Narrative: ON THAT FLT I HAD PLANNED TO USE 2200 LBS FUEL FOR A 2.1 HR FLT. WE BROUGHT THE PLANE UP TO 3000 LBS WITH 2900 LBS FOR TKOF. HEAD WINDS WERE FORECASTED AND THE FORECAST FOR PHX WAS CLR. THE TRIP WENT AS PLANNED UNTIL ABOUT 50 DME W OF IWA. WE WERE STILL WITH CTR WHEN THEY GAVE US HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. THE HOLD HAD AN EFC OF ABOUT 25 MIN LATER. I TOLD CTR I COULD NOT ACCEPT THAT CLRNC DUE TO LOW FUEL. HE THEN GAVE ME A VECTOR AWAY FROM PHX. I THEN TOLD HIM I COULD NOT ACCEPT A CLRNC AWAY FROM THE ARPT AS MY FUEL WOULD BECOME A PROB. TO SAY THE LEAST HE SHOWED LITTLE INTEREST IN OUR PROB. AT THAT TIME I HAD LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO DECLARE AN EMER DUE TO POSSIBILITY OF LOW FUEL. WE WERE THEN TURNED OVER TO PHX APCH. THEY ASKED ME IF WE COULD FLY A NORMAL DOWNWIND 13 MI AND I CHKED OUR FUEL AND TOLD HIM IT WOULD BE OK. WE LANDED IN PHX ON RWY 26L AS PLANNED. WHEN I LEFT FAT I HAD PLANNED TO LAND AT PHX WITH 700 LBS RESERVE FUEL. I FELT THAT THE HOLDING CLRNC WOULD HAVE REDUCED MY RESERVE FUEL IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT WOULD BECOME AN UNSAFE SIT.

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.