Air carrier pilot notes arrival at destination with less than expected fuel load.

Attributes
ACN	178060
Time
Date	199105
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	178060
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight from iah to ind. Left gate with 14700# of fuel. Release showed an additional lead of 1300 pounds. According to our company policy, additional fuel is not required at brake release, so I figured we needed minimum fuel of 13400# for takeoff. When we became #1 for takeoff, an large transport had blown a tire on the runway. This closed the runway, thus we had to taxi from 14L to 26 at iah. Before being cleared for takeoff, I took a last look at the fuel (which was 13800#). During the course of flight, I did not notice a problem. About 2/3 through flight I checked fuel (200 mi out) and noticed we were way down. Made decision to continue, knowing we would come in with 30 mins fuel instead of 45 mins. When we switched to approach, we requested a straight into runway 5 at ind. We requested this because we were not comfortable with the fuel remaining. We arrived at the gate with 2600#, which is about 1/2 hour for an medium large transport. Also noticed this aircraft had a fuel log the previous day, which indicated arrival with low fuel. Because of this, we had a mechanic take a look. I still have not figured out why the burn was so much higher than flight plan.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT NOTES ARR AT DESTINATION WITH LESS THAN EXPECTED FUEL LOAD.

Narrative: FLT FROM IAH TO IND. LEFT GATE WITH 14700# OF FUEL. RELEASE SHOWED AN ADDITIONAL LEAD OF 1300 LBS. ACCORDING TO OUR COMPANY POLICY, ADDITIONAL FUEL IS NOT REQUIRED AT BRAKE RELEASE, SO I FIGURED WE NEEDED MINIMUM FUEL OF 13400# FOR TKOF. WHEN WE BECAME #1 FOR TKOF, AN LGT HAD BLOWN A TIRE ON THE RWY. THIS CLOSED THE RWY, THUS WE HAD TO TAXI FROM 14L TO 26 AT IAH. BEFORE BEING CLRED FOR TKOF, I TOOK A LAST LOOK AT THE FUEL (WHICH WAS 13800#). DURING THE COURSE OF FLT, I DID NOT NOTICE A PROB. ABOUT 2/3 THROUGH FLT I CHKED FUEL (200 MI OUT) AND NOTICED WE WERE WAY DOWN. MADE DECISION TO CONTINUE, KNOWING WE WOULD COME IN WITH 30 MINS FUEL INSTEAD OF 45 MINS. WHEN WE SWITCHED TO APCH, WE REQUESTED A STRAIGHT INTO RWY 5 AT IND. WE REQUESTED THIS BECAUSE WE WERE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE FUEL REMAINING. WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE WITH 2600#, WHICH IS ABOUT 1/2 HR FOR AN MLG. ALSO NOTICED THIS ACFT HAD A FUEL LOG THE PREVIOUS DAY, WHICH INDICATED ARR WITH LOW FUEL. BECAUSE OF THIS, WE HAD A MECH TAKE A LOOK. I STILL HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT WHY THE BURN WAS SO MUCH HIGHER THAN FLT PLAN.

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.