Captain stretched his fuel and had first officer pull fuel quantity circuit breaker to hide the fact...

Attributes
ACN	348170
Time
Date	199609
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mci
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	348170
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After a rerte due to WX southwest of atl on a scheduled flight from stl-hou (nonstop). Overhead mci it was calculated that remaining fuel would not be sufficient to land at hou with aircraft manufacturer's minimum required fuel. The captain would not consider diverting to a station along route in order to refuel. Overhead dfw the captain instructed the first officer to pull the fuel quantity indicator circuit breaker. At the time, the indicators read 4800 pounds total fuel. After landing at hou, the first officer reset the fuel quantity indicator circuit breaker. The fuel quantity indicators showed 2600 pounds total fuel. Left tank 1200 pounds, right tank 1400 pounds. The captain had previously briefed the first officer that he had a 'pet peeve' about first officer's that attempted to 'run the cockpit.' when asked how a first officer might exhibit such objectionable behavior, the captain responded 'by hinting or suggesting that the first officer disagreed with the captain's decisions or by resisting captain's orders.' because of that briefing, the first officer was reluctant to intervene in the low fuel scenario. In essence, I wimped out and allowed an unsafe condition to evolve, against my better judgement, in order to avoid reprisal from the captain which could have jeopardized my employment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT STRETCHED HIS FUEL AND HAD FO PULL FUEL QUANTITY CIRCUIT BREAKER TO HIDE THE FACT.

Narrative: AFTER A RERTE DUE TO WX SW OF ATL ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM STL-HOU (NONSTOP). OVERHEAD MCI IT WAS CALCULATED THAT REMAINING FUEL WOULD NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO LAND AT HOU WITH ACFT MANUFACTURER'S MINIMUM REQUIRED FUEL. THE CAPT WOULD NOT CONSIDER DIVERTING TO A STATION ALONG RTE IN ORDER TO REFUEL. OVERHEAD DFW THE CAPT INSTRUCTED THE FO TO PULL THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER. AT THE TIME, THE INDICATORS READ 4800 LBS TOTAL FUEL. AFTER LNDG AT HOU, THE FO RESET THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER. THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS SHOWED 2600 LBS TOTAL FUEL. L TANK 1200 LBS, R TANK 1400 LBS. THE CAPT HAD PREVIOUSLY BRIEFED THE FO THAT HE HAD A 'PET PEEVE' ABOUT FO'S THAT ATTEMPTED TO 'RUN THE COCKPIT.' WHEN ASKED HOW A FO MIGHT EXHIBIT SUCH OBJECTIONABLE BEHAVIOR, THE CAPT RESPONDED 'BY HINTING OR SUGGESTING THAT THE FO DISAGREED WITH THE CAPT'S DECISIONS OR BY RESISTING CAPT'S ORDERS.' BECAUSE OF THAT BRIEFING, THE FO WAS RELUCTANT TO INTERVENE IN THE LOW FUEL SCENARIO. IN ESSENCE, I WIMPED OUT AND ALLOWED AN UNSAFE CONDITION TO EVOLVE, AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT, IN ORDER TO AVOID REPRISAL FROM THE CAPT WHICH COULD HAVE JEOPARDIZED MY EMPLOYMENT.

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.