DC9 crew became trapped in the far fuel requirements by changing destination airports.

Attributes
ACN	475110
Time
Date	200006
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl single value : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	475110
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : dispatcher
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

About 20 NM east of pmm VOR (departed from iad) center informed us that mke airport was closing due to thunderstorms and we were to hold at pmm. While in the hold we decided we could deviate north of tvc then grb then south to mke and get behind the line of storms. We talked to dispatch and they agreed and gave us WX at grb and atw (on back side of line). We left the hold with 11000 pounds of fuel. As we proceeded nebound the line intensified over lake michigan and started pushing eastbound rather quickly. This put us further east than we anticipated. When we turned wbound we encountered strong headwinds. We talked to dispatch at that point and told them that we would like to change our destination to grb. They agreed and changed it. The WX in grb was such that I needed an alternate. With destination alternate and 45 mins reserve we were underfueled by 400 pounds. This would dip into the reserve. We decided this was the safest course of action rather than turn back east and go somewhere else. The rapidly changing WX was the major contributing factor along with the very strong headwinds encountered while passing around the line. An earlier deviation or diversion somewhere else may have prevented this, but when we started the deviation around the thunderstorms this looked like a viable route.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW BECAME TRAPPED IN THE FAR FUEL REQUIREMENTS BY CHANGING DEST ARPTS.

Narrative: ABOUT 20 NM E OF PMM VOR (DEPARTED FROM IAD) CTR INFORMED US THAT MKE ARPT WAS CLOSING DUE TO TSTMS AND WE WERE TO HOLD AT PMM. WHILE IN THE HOLD WE DECIDED WE COULD DEVIATE N OF TVC THEN GRB THEN S TO MKE AND GET BEHIND THE LINE OF STORMS. WE TALKED TO DISPATCH AND THEY AGREED AND GAVE US WX AT GRB AND ATW (ON BACK SIDE OF LINE). WE LEFT THE HOLD WITH 11000 LBS OF FUEL. AS WE PROCEEDED NEBOUND THE LINE INTENSIFIED OVER LAKE MICHIGAN AND STARTED PUSHING EBOUND RATHER QUICKLY. THIS PUT US FURTHER E THAN WE ANTICIPATED. WHEN WE TURNED WBOUND WE ENCOUNTERED STRONG HEADWINDS. WE TALKED TO DISPATCH AT THAT POINT AND TOLD THEM THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE OUR DEST TO GRB. THEY AGREED AND CHANGED IT. THE WX IN GRB WAS SUCH THAT I NEEDED AN ALTERNATE. WITH DEST ALTERNATE AND 45 MINS RESERVE WE WERE UNDERFUELED BY 400 LBS. THIS WOULD DIP INTO THE RESERVE. WE DECIDED THIS WAS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION RATHER THAN TURN BACK E AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE RAPIDLY CHANGING WX WAS THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR ALONG WITH THE VERY STRONG HEADWINDS ENCOUNTERED WHILE PASSING AROUND THE LINE. AN EARLIER DEV OR DIVERSION SOMEWHERE ELSE MAY HAVE PREVENTED THIS, BUT WHEN WE STARTED THE DEV AROUND THE TSTMS THIS LOOKED LIKE A VIABLE RTE.

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.