Narrative:

We were on a long flight from pdx to lns at FL410. Because of the duration of the flight and the fact that ZOB sometimes starts us down 250 mi from our home base, I requested to stay at FL410 as long as possible. Captain: 'request to stay at FL410 as long as possible.' ZOB: 'what is the reason for your request?' captain: 'for fuel requirements.' about 4 mins later, ZOB: 'understand you are declaring a fuel emergency.' captain, 'negative.' over jst, we requested to start our descent. We were given a series of dscnts and were changed over to ZNY at 24000'. Captain, 'ny, nxxx FL240.' ny: 'nxxx, understand you have a fuel emergency. Turn left 10 degrees for short vector and then lns.' captain: 'negative, negative on the fuel emergency. We are under normal conditions.' after a short vector we were given direct lns. At 10000' we were turned over to harrisburg approach. Captain: 'harrisburg, nxxx 10000 to maintaining 9000.' harrisburg: 'nxxx, understand you have a fuel emergency. Do you need assistance or equipment standing by? Do you have enough fuel to make the airport?' captain: 'we do not have a fuel emergency. We are under normal conditions.' the controller in ZOB took it upon himself to declare an emergency fuel status, when nothing was said about low fuel or any other emergency situations. Our only request was to stay at FL410 as long as possible. I think there is a growing trend for controllers to think they have control of the aircraft above the captain's.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CGA REPORTER REQUESTS TO STAY AT ALT ARE INTERPRETED BY CTLR AS FUEL EMERGENCY. REPORTER STATED IT WAS FOR, 'FUEL REQUIREMENTS.'

Narrative: WE WERE ON A LONG FLT FROM PDX TO LNS AT FL410. BECAUSE OF THE DURATION OF THE FLT AND THE FACT THAT ZOB SOMETIMES STARTS US DOWN 250 MI FROM OUR HOME BASE, I REQUESTED TO STAY AT FL410 AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. CAPT: 'REQUEST TO STAY AT FL410 AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.' ZOB: 'WHAT IS THE REASON FOR YOUR REQUEST?' CAPT: 'FOR FUEL REQUIREMENTS.' ABOUT 4 MINS LATER, ZOB: 'UNDERSTAND YOU ARE DECLARING A FUEL EMER.' CAPT, 'NEGATIVE.' OVER JST, WE REQUESTED TO START OUR DSNT. WE WERE GIVEN A SERIES OF DSCNTS AND WERE CHANGED OVER TO ZNY AT 24000'. CAPT, 'NY, NXXX FL240.' NY: 'NXXX, UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A FUEL EMER. TURN LEFT 10 DEGS FOR SHORT VECTOR AND THEN LNS.' CAPT: 'NEGATIVE, NEGATIVE ON THE FUEL EMER. WE ARE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS.' AFTER A SHORT VECTOR WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT LNS. AT 10000' WE WERE TURNED OVER TO HARRISBURG APCH. CAPT: 'HARRISBURG, NXXX 10000 TO MAINTAINING 9000.' HARRISBURG: 'NXXX, UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A FUEL EMER. DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE OR EQUIP STANDING BY? DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO MAKE THE ARPT?' CAPT: 'WE DO NOT HAVE A FUEL EMER. WE ARE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS.' THE CTLR IN ZOB TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO DECLARE AN EMER FUEL STATUS, WHEN NOTHING WAS SAID ABOUT LOW FUEL OR ANY OTHER EMER SITUATIONS. OUR ONLY REQUEST WAS TO STAY AT FL410 AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. I THINK THERE IS A GROWING TREND FOR CTLRS TO THINK THEY HAVE CTL OF THE ACFT ABOVE THE CAPT'S.

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.