Air carrier medium large transport declares minimum fuel when given a spacing vector enroute to bos.

Attributes
ACN	149396
Time
Date	199006
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 237 flight time total : 14100 flight time type : 1557
ASRS Report	149396
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After a moderate delay during taxi for takeoff in atl (20 min), flight departed with legal fuel aboard en route to bos. After takeoff to the west and normal local area vectors, flight proceeded to grd and J-209 to rdu while climbing to FL290. A few mi southwest of rdu washington center gave flight a vector of 090 degree. No reason was given for the vector, nor was a clearance en route time given. After several attempts to acquire an efc time, or an indication of what delay-delays were in effect, and with no definite reply, the captain explained that fuel might be a problem. The controller asked if flight was declaring a 'minimum fuel state'. Because no traffic had yet been issued from washington center after numerous requests, the captain of flight declared 'minimum fuel.' shortly thereafter, flight received clearance to its planned FL330 and was given clearance en route. With the subsequent helpful assistance from ATC, the flight proceeded to bos with no further problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DECLARES MINIMUM FUEL WHEN GIVEN A SPACING VECTOR ENROUTE TO BOS.

Narrative: AFTER A MODERATE DELAY DURING TAXI FOR TKOF IN ATL (20 MIN), FLT DEPARTED WITH LEGAL FUEL ABOARD ENRTE TO BOS. AFTER TKOF TO THE W AND NORMAL LCL AREA VECTORS, FLT PROCEEDED TO GRD AND J-209 TO RDU WHILE CLBING TO FL290. A FEW MI SW OF RDU WASHINGTON CTR GAVE FLT A VECTOR OF 090 DEG. NO REASON WAS GIVEN FOR THE VECTOR, NOR WAS A CLRNC ENRTE TIME GIVEN. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO ACQUIRE AN EFC TIME, OR AN INDICATION OF WHAT DELAY-DELAYS WERE IN EFFECT, AND WITH NO DEFINITE REPLY, THE CAPT EXPLAINED THAT FUEL MIGHT BE A PROB. THE CTLR ASKED IF FLT WAS DECLARING A 'MINIMUM FUEL STATE'. BECAUSE NO TFC HAD YET BEEN ISSUED FROM WASHINGTON CTR AFTER NUMEROUS REQUESTS, THE CAPT OF FLT DECLARED 'MINIMUM FUEL.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, FLT RECEIVED CLRNC TO ITS PLANNED FL330 AND WAS GIVEN CLRNC ENRTE. WITH THE SUBSEQUENT HELPFUL ASSISTANCE FROM ATC, THE FLT PROCEEDED TO BOS WITH NO FURTHER PROB.

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.