Flight crew of an large transport declared a minimum fuel status during holds and delays during a ST...

Attributes
ACN	334537
Time
Date	199604
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 22700 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	334537
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight from san-msp, no significant WX indicated on forecast. Routine flight until approaching msp. Several aircraft including us were put into holding pattern at rwf for a short delay for thunderstorm and rain moving through msp airport area. Departed holding inbound msp on slightly extended route to remain clear of small line of thunderstorm cells, then given additional delay vector for departing traffic. Fuel getting close to minimum required for inbound, alternate and reserve. Contacted company dispatch for assistance and updated on ground situation. Dispatch changed our alternate to a more distant alternate due to WX moving toward original field alternate. This put us below fuel requirements, however, our destination airport was now in sight for a visual approach. To avoid getting deeper into a low fuel numbers game we declared 'minimum fuel.' approach control soon cleared us for a visual approach. We landed with no further delays or problems. We never truly were in a 'minimum fuel' dangerous fuel state but rather were into the area of not meeting the approach-go around-go to alternate and reserve fuel on board requirements due to the new alternate. I may have used the 'minimum fuel' call when not really necessary or appropriate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT DECLARED A MINIMUM FUEL STATUS DURING HOLDS AND DELAYS DURING A STAR APCH RESULTING IN SUCCESSFULLY LNDG WITH NO FUEL PROB.

Narrative: FLT FROM SAN-MSP, NO SIGNIFICANT WX INDICATED ON FORECAST. ROUTINE FLT UNTIL APCHING MSP. SEVERAL ACFT INCLUDING US WERE PUT INTO HOLDING PATTERN AT RWF FOR A SHORT DELAY FOR TSTM AND RAIN MOVING THROUGH MSP ARPT AREA. DEPARTED HOLDING INBOUND MSP ON SLIGHTLY EXTENDED RTE TO REMAIN CLR OF SMALL LINE OF TSTM CELLS, THEN GIVEN ADDITIONAL DELAY VECTOR FOR DEPARTING TFC. FUEL GETTING CLOSE TO MINIMUM REQUIRED FOR INBOUND, ALTERNATE AND RESERVE. CONTACTED COMPANY DISPATCH FOR ASSISTANCE AND UPDATED ON GND SIT. DISPATCH CHANGED OUR ALTERNATE TO A MORE DISTANT ALTERNATE DUE TO WX MOVING TOWARD ORIGINAL FIELD ALTERNATE. THIS PUT US BELOW FUEL REQUIREMENTS, HOWEVER, OUR DEST ARPT WAS NOW IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL APCH. TO AVOID GETTING DEEPER INTO A LOW FUEL NUMBERS GAME WE DECLARED 'MINIMUM FUEL.' APCH CTL SOON CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH. WE LANDED WITH NO FURTHER DELAYS OR PROBS. WE NEVER TRULY WERE IN A 'MINIMUM FUEL' DANGEROUS FUEL STATE BUT RATHER WERE INTO THE AREA OF NOT MEETING THE APCH-GAR-GO TO ALTERNATE AND RESERVE FUEL ON BOARD REQUIREMENTS DUE TO THE NEW ALTERNATE. I MAY HAVE USED THE 'MINIMUM FUEL' CALL WHEN NOT REALLY NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE.

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.

Flight crew of an large transport declared a minimum fuel status during holds and delays during a STAR approach resulting in successfully landing with no fuel problem.