 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An MD88 flight crew has to declare a fuel emergency when the ZFW controller refuses to accept their plea of minimum fuel condition as a reason to not give them delaying vectors for traffic west of dfw, tx.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 469096 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200004 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : tqa.vor |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 29000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : ns.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 469096 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 469097 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauge other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance FAA Company |
| Primary Problem | Airspace Structure |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Psp to dfw. We left psp with 21600 pounds of fuel. We were going to climb to 37000 ft. We were given 29000 ft as a final. Over tuscola we advised ATC that we were minimum fuel and could not have any delays going to dfw. About 5 mins later ATC told us to turn right 90 degrees. We told him of our fuel minimums again and told him we could not turn, and needed to go to dfw on our course. ATC then said, 'well, are you declaring an emergency?' I said, 'yes, because we could not take turns and dscnts.' we went on to dfw and landed with 3900 pounds of fuel. The WX was clear at dfw. Supplemental information from acn 469097: flight was programmed for FL330 with a step up to FL370 and an on deck fuel of 6300 pounds of fuel. Out of psp we were given FL290 as a final because of conflicting traffic. We tried for higher several times but it was unavailable. ATC asked if we were declaring an emergency or what. At this point captain felt he had no other choice but to do so as ATC obviously was not giving any meaning to minimum fuel. Even with the emergency declared, ATC still gave vectors and such that were not efficient. ATC needs to be more in tune with these terms and provide the necessary assistance.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD88 FLC HAS TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER WHEN THE ZFW CTLR REFUSES TO ACCEPT THEIR PLEA OF MINIMUM FUEL CONDITION AS A REASON TO NOT GIVE THEM DELAYING VECTORS FOR TFC W OF DFW, TX.
Narrative: PSP TO DFW. WE LEFT PSP WITH 21600 LBS OF FUEL. WE WERE GOING TO CLB TO 37000 FT. WE WERE GIVEN 29000 FT AS A FINAL. OVER TUSCOLA WE ADVISED ATC THAT WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL AND COULD NOT HAVE ANY DELAYS GOING TO DFW. ABOUT 5 MINS LATER ATC TOLD US TO TURN R 90 DEGS. WE TOLD HIM OF OUR FUEL MINIMUMS AGAIN AND TOLD HIM WE COULD NOT TURN, AND NEEDED TO GO TO DFW ON OUR COURSE. ATC THEN SAID, 'WELL, ARE YOU DECLARING AN EMER?' I SAID, 'YES, BECAUSE WE COULD NOT TAKE TURNS AND DSCNTS.' WE WENT ON TO DFW AND LANDED WITH 3900 LBS OF FUEL. THE WX WAS CLR AT DFW. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 469097: FLT WAS PROGRAMMED FOR FL330 WITH A STEP UP TO FL370 AND AN ON DECK FUEL OF 6300 LBS OF FUEL. OUT OF PSP WE WERE GIVEN FL290 AS A FINAL BECAUSE OF CONFLICTING TFC. WE TRIED FOR HIGHER SEVERAL TIMES BUT IT WAS UNAVAILABLE. ATC ASKED IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER OR WHAT. AT THIS POINT CAPT FELT HE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO DO SO AS ATC OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT GIVING ANY MEANING TO MINIMUM FUEL. EVEN WITH THE EMER DECLARED, ATC STILL GAVE VECTORS AND SUCH THAT WERE NOT EFFICIENT. ATC NEEDS TO BE MORE IN TUNE WITH THESE TERMS AND PROVIDE THE NECESSARY ASSISTANCE.
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.