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A DC9 flight crew asked to remain at cruise altitude rather than descend to avoid above planned fuel consumption. Upon arrival at dtw the flight crew discovered ARTCC had declared a fuel emergency for the aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 446779 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199908 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : jot.vortac |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl single value : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 30 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 446779 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 447131 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Because of ATC rerte, we were already using 1900 pounds more fuel en route. We were given a descent by center to FL290 from FL330. We asked if we could stay at FL330 as fuel may become critical. We were asked if we were declaring an emergency, to which we replied 'negative.' we were allowed to stay at FL330 and given more direct routing, which made our fuel situation work out well. On descent, we found out that someone had declared an emergency for us. We informed approach that we were not an emergency and normal handling was sufficient. Supplemental information from acn 447131: I have noticed increased problems with the FAA ARTCC over the last 6 months. We were directed to descend from FL330 to FL290. We asked to stay at FL330 because of our fuel situation. ZAU asked us if we were declaring an emergency, and we responded negative. We were allowed to stay at FL330 and all was normal until we arrived in xyz. Approach was concerned as to our emergency fuel state. We never declared an emergency, dispatch didn't declare an emergency, and we were not treated as an emergency.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DC9 FLC ASKED TO REMAIN AT CRUISE ALT RATHER THAN DSND TO AVOID ABOVE PLANNED FUEL CONSUMPTION. UPON ARR AT DTW THE FLC DISCOVERED ARTCC HAD DECLARED A FUEL EMER FOR THE ACFT.
Narrative: BECAUSE OF ATC RERTE, WE WERE ALREADY USING 1900 LBS MORE FUEL ENRTE. WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT BY CTR TO FL290 FROM FL330. WE ASKED IF WE COULD STAY AT FL330 AS FUEL MAY BECOME CRITICAL. WE WERE ASKED IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER, TO WHICH WE REPLIED 'NEGATIVE.' WE WERE ALLOWED TO STAY AT FL330 AND GIVEN MORE DIRECT ROUTING, WHICH MADE OUR FUEL SIT WORK OUT WELL. ON DSCNT, WE FOUND OUT THAT SOMEONE HAD DECLARED AN EMER FOR US. WE INFORMED APCH THAT WE WERE NOT AN EMER AND NORMAL HANDLING WAS SUFFICIENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 447131: I HAVE NOTICED INCREASED PROBS WITH THE FAA ARTCC OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS. WE WERE DIRECTED TO DSND FROM FL330 TO FL290. WE ASKED TO STAY AT FL330 BECAUSE OF OUR FUEL SIT. ZAU ASKED US IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER, AND WE RESPONDED NEGATIVE. WE WERE ALLOWED TO STAY AT FL330 AND ALL WAS NORMAL UNTIL WE ARRIVED IN XYZ. APCH WAS CONCERNED AS TO OUR EMER FUEL STATE. WE NEVER DECLARED AN EMER, DISPATCH DIDN'T DECLARE AN EMER, AND WE WERE NOT TREATED AS AN EMER.
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.