Narrative:

When departing fra, germany we had sufficient fuel to fly to destination, pit. Our altitude was canton or akr + 30 mins hold with 10% reserve. Our route took us over north europe to track-a (almost a random route). Winds were almost 1/2 again what was forecast. We were originally cleared to 37000' (our optimum altitude). They then descended us to 35000' for traffic. We were then given 39000' and mach 80 over track-a. Over canadian airspace we were given 2 extensive vectors for military airspace. I mentioned that we had used extensive fuel because of our route, altitude change and vectors, and that we could go to 41000' if that would alleviate the vectors. I told them I did not want to for fuel conservation, but it would be better than the vectors. They cleared me to 41000', then gave me 2 additional vectors over us airspace because of military activity. I advised I would appreciate any help they could give me due to using more fuel than anticipated. On descent into pit I advised ZOB that I was a little tight on fuel and could they ask pit approach for some expedient handling. (My international relief officer had gotten ATIS, informed me that they were landing to the east, 10R was the only runway being used.) I asked pit approach for some expedient handling if they could, and they cleared me #1 on 10L. Then cleared on 10R. (They apparently had reopened 10L.) the WX was beautiful all over the northeast. There was no safety problem at all, only a legality problem with going into my altitude +10% reserve fuel. We landed with 10100# on board. Supplemental information from acn 160913: it appears that during the handoff from ZOB to pit approach control the approach controllers mistakenly believed that we had declared an emergency for low fuel state. To the best of my knowledge, that was not the case and we landed with sufficient reserves.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ARRIVING PIT ON FLT FROM EUROPE LANDS IN FUEL RESERVES DUE UNFORECAST WINDS AND VECTORING.

Narrative: WHEN DEPARTING FRA, GERMANY WE HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL TO FLY TO DEST, PIT. OUR ALT WAS CANTON OR AKR + 30 MINS HOLD WITH 10% RESERVE. OUR RTE TOOK US OVER N EUROPE TO TRACK-A (ALMOST A RANDOM RTE). WINDS WERE ALMOST 1/2 AGAIN WHAT WAS FORECAST. WE WERE ORIGINALLY CLRED TO 37000' (OUR OPTIMUM ALT). THEY THEN DSNDED US TO 35000' FOR TFC. WE WERE THEN GIVEN 39000' AND MACH 80 OVER TRACK-A. OVER CANADIAN AIRSPACE WE WERE GIVEN 2 EXTENSIVE VECTORS FOR MIL AIRSPACE. I MENTIONED THAT WE HAD USED EXTENSIVE FUEL BECAUSE OF OUR RTE, ALT CHANGE AND VECTORS, AND THAT WE COULD GO TO 41000' IF THAT WOULD ALLEVIATE THE VECTORS. I TOLD THEM I DID NOT WANT TO FOR FUEL CONSERVATION, BUT IT WOULD BE BETTER THAN THE VECTORS. THEY CLRED ME TO 41000', THEN GAVE ME 2 ADDITIONAL VECTORS OVER U.S. AIRSPACE BECAUSE OF MIL ACTIVITY. I ADVISED I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP THEY COULD GIVE ME DUE TO USING MORE FUEL THAN ANTICIPATED. ON DSNT INTO PIT I ADVISED ZOB THAT I WAS A LITTLE TIGHT ON FUEL AND COULD THEY ASK PIT APCH FOR SOME EXPEDIENT HANDLING. (MY IRO HAD GOTTEN ATIS, INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE LNDG TO THE E, 10R WAS THE ONLY RWY BEING USED.) I ASKED PIT APCH FOR SOME EXPEDIENT HANDLING IF THEY COULD, AND THEY CLRED ME #1 ON 10L. THEN CLRED ON 10R. (THEY APPARENTLY HAD REOPENED 10L.) THE WX WAS BEAUTIFUL ALL OVER THE NE. THERE WAS NO SAFETY PROB AT ALL, ONLY A LEGALITY PROB WITH GOING INTO MY ALT +10% RESERVE FUEL. WE LANDED WITH 10100# ON BOARD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 160913: IT APPEARS THAT DURING THE HDOF FROM ZOB TO PIT APCH CTL THE APCH CTLRS MISTAKENLY BELIEVED THAT WE HAD DECLARED AN EMER FOR LOW FUEL STATE. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT WAS NOT THE CASE AND WE LANDED WITH SUFFICIENT RESERVES.

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.