Reporter claims low fuel situation created by early descent and prolonged flight at low altitude. When asking for diversion for fuel the tower controller at new destination airport calls out the emergency ground equipment after PIC states no emergency.

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Attributes
ACN	135345
Time
Date	199001
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : det
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tower : det
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute airway : zob
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 6900 flight time type : 68
ASRS Report	135345
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We were on an IFR flight plan from melbourne, fl to pontiac, mi. We were given a descent out of 37,000 to 10,000 about 180 mi out from pontiac. We were kept down for some time at 10,000. Our company policy is we have to land with at least 1200 pounds on board. The fuel was going to be close to that 1200 pounds so I chose to land at detroit city airport for some fuel. I requested a closer airport. ATC asked me if det city airport would be ok. I said yes and proceeded to the airport. I was asked if I was declaring an emergency. I replied no! I just wanted a closer airport so I would have proper fuel reserves. We landed at det airport and fire trucks were waiting for us. The fire crew followed us to the FBO and wanted me to fill out an incident report. I gave them my name and license number and address. I then called the tower and asked the tower person who called the fire trucks. They said they could declare an emergency themselves. We put on some fuel and proceeded to pontiac, mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER CLAIMS LOW FUEL SITUATION CREATED BY EARLY DESCENT AND PROLONGED FLT AT LOW ALT. WHEN ASKING FOR DIVERSION FOR FUEL THE TWR CTLR AT NEW DESTINATION ARPT CALLS OUT THE EMERGENCY GND EQUIPMENT AFTER PIC STATES NO EMERGENCY.

Narrative: WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM MELBOURNE, FL TO PONTIAC, MI. WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT OUT OF 37,000 TO 10,000 ABOUT 180 MI OUT FROM PONTIAC. WE WERE KEPT DOWN FOR SOME TIME AT 10,000. OUR COMPANY POLICY IS WE HAVE TO LAND WITH AT LEAST 1200 LBS ON BOARD. THE FUEL WAS GOING TO BE CLOSE TO THAT 1200 LBS SO I CHOSE TO LAND AT DETROIT CITY ARPT FOR SOME FUEL. I REQUESTED A CLOSER ARPT. ATC ASKED ME IF DET CITY ARPT WOULD BE OK. I SAID YES AND PROCEEDED TO THE ARPT. I WAS ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I REPLIED NO! I JUST WANTED A CLOSER ARPT SO I WOULD HAVE PROPER FUEL RESERVES. WE LANDED AT DET ARPT AND FIRE TRUCKS WERE WAITING FOR US. THE FIRE CREW FOLLOWED US TO THE FBO AND WANTED ME TO FILL OUT AN INCIDENT REPORT. I GAVE THEM MY NAME AND LICENSE NUMBER AND ADDRESS. I THEN CALLED THE TWR AND ASKED THE TWR PERSON WHO CALLED THE FIRE TRUCKS. THEY SAID THEY COULD DECLARE AN EMER THEMSELVES. WE PUT ON SOME FUEL AND PROCEEDED TO PONTIAC, MI.

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.