Narrative:

We were in cruise at FL370 between grw and ghm. Our ACARS was inoperative and my copilot was new (60-70 hours). He was at the controls as I went off ATC to get the ATIS for bna. I discovered that the planned VFR day had changed to -X 3200 overcast 2 mi with light snow. Since we had low fuel, and no preplanned alternate, I called company/dispatch and asked for advice on an alternate. Bna operations came back after I told dispatch about the new ATIS, and stated that the snow shower had passed and the WX was now ok. Dispatch gave me a hsv alternate -- 2580 pounds burn, 100 mi, and 15 mins. During the 5 mins that I was off ATC, the copilot received a crossing altitude of 50 west of ghm at 240. This must have been given very late, because when I came back on to ATC frequency, the first officer repeated the restriction, and I saw that his VOR was still on grw (141 DME) and mine was on ghm at 53 mi. I quickly called ATC and stated we could not make 240 and got descent vectors. The 100 mph tailwind, and the late issuing of the crossing restriction (approximately 116 DME on grw and 78 on ghm) would have made it difficult to get down even if he had started the descent immediately. There are many reasons why this occurred and could have been avoided. This problem started with a new management attempt to lower costs at all costs. We are now operating under a new 'low fuel on arrival' program. Dispatch is not allowed to exceed certain parameters according to the WX. If they do, they get letters in their file and can face disciplinary actions or even termination. Pilots who request additional fuel are also placed on a report that is sent to management. Today was a good example of how it works. I had fuel to the airport and no alternate and arrival fuel of 7.1. This included reserve of 45 mins and holding fuel first officer 40 mins. Since ACARS was inoperative, I could not get WX updates and had to wait for ATIS to discover that the WX had moved in as I expected. Our concern for the safety of the plane and passenger was on our minds instead of flying the plane. My first officer is a very experienced aviator (retired navy) but new to the aircraft, a 2 man crew plane. His temporary oversight is what caused the missed altitude, but the concern over the WX and low fuel compounded the problem. Management has given us a bulletin that lists suitable close in airports for no alternate releases and today fort campbell, ky, was ours. We do not carry approach plates for many of them, and fort campbell is one of them. The WX there was also probably the same. On final, I briefed the first officer that if we went around for any reason, I would declare emergency fuel and land back at bna. We saw the runway at 500 ft (250 ft mins) and saw a plane on, but clearing the runway. Landing was uneventful. We were on the gate with 5200 pounds and were 2000 pounds below flight plan. If I had attempted to go to hsv, we would have been at 2600 pounds or less if things had gone ok. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states on being approached about situation company claims complying with FAA mins so should be safe and will not change. Many pilots have complained. Reporter and others feel they are being issued 'massaged' WX with most favorable reports issued to avoid an alternate. Says he has been able to look outside and see a 900 ft ceiling but report he is given is 2500 ft. Calls FSS and told 900 ft. Has never had low fuel problem until last 6 months. Analyst suggested hot line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH XING RESTRICTION. CTLR VECTORS FOR DSCNT.

Narrative: WE WERE IN CRUISE AT FL370 BTWN GRW AND GHM. OUR ACARS WAS INOP AND MY COPLT WAS NEW (60-70 HRS). HE WAS AT THE CTLS AS I WENT OFF ATC TO GET THE ATIS FOR BNA. I DISCOVERED THAT THE PLANNED VFR DAY HAD CHANGED TO -X 3200 OVCST 2 MI WITH LIGHT SNOW. SINCE WE HAD LOW FUEL, AND NO PREPLANNED ALTERNATE, I CALLED COMPANY/DISPATCH AND ASKED FOR ADVICE ON AN ALTERNATE. BNA OPS CAME BACK AFTER I TOLD DISPATCH ABOUT THE NEW ATIS, AND STATED THAT THE SNOW SHOWER HAD PASSED AND THE WX WAS NOW OK. DISPATCH GAVE ME A HSV ALTERNATE -- 2580 POUNDS BURN, 100 MI, AND 15 MINS. DURING THE 5 MINS THAT I WAS OFF ATC, THE COPLT RECEIVED A XING ALT OF 50 W OF GHM AT 240. THIS MUST HAVE BEEN GIVEN VERY LATE, BECAUSE WHEN I CAME BACK ON TO ATC FREQ, THE FO REPEATED THE RESTRICTION, AND I SAW THAT HIS VOR WAS STILL ON GRW (141 DME) AND MINE WAS ON GHM AT 53 MI. I QUICKLY CALLED ATC AND STATED WE COULD NOT MAKE 240 AND GOT DSCNT VECTORS. THE 100 MPH TAILWIND, AND THE LATE ISSUING OF THE XING RESTRICTION (APPROX 116 DME ON GRW AND 78 ON GHM) WOULD HAVE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO GET DOWN EVEN IF HE HAD STARTED THE DSCNT IMMEDIATELY. THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY THIS OCCURRED AND COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. THIS PROBLEM STARTED WITH A NEW MGMNT ATTEMPT TO LOWER COSTS AT ALL COSTS. WE ARE NOW OPERATING UNDER A NEW 'LOW FUEL ON ARR' PROGRAM. DISPATCH IS NOT ALLOWED TO EXCEED CERTAIN PARAMETERS ACCORDING TO THE WX. IF THEY DO, THEY GET LETTERS IN THEIR FILE AND CAN FACE DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS OR EVEN TERMINATION. PLTS WHO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUEL ARE ALSO PLACED ON A RPT THAT IS SENT TO MGMNT. TODAY WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW IT WORKS. I HAD FUEL TO THE ARPT AND NO ALTERNATE AND ARR FUEL OF 7.1. THIS INCLUDED RESERVE OF 45 MINS AND HOLDING FUEL FO 40 MINS. SINCE ACARS WAS INOP, I COULD NOT GET WX UPDATES AND HAD TO WAIT FOR ATIS TO DISCOVER THAT THE WX HAD MOVED IN AS I EXPECTED. OUR CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PLANE AND PAX WAS ON OUR MINDS INSTEAD OF FLYING THE PLANE. MY FO IS A VERY EXPERIENCED AVIATOR (RETIRED NAVY) BUT NEW TO THE ACFT, A 2 MAN CREW PLANE. HIS TEMPORARY OVERSIGHT IS WHAT CAUSED THE MISSED ALT, BUT THE CONCERN OVER THE WX AND LOW FUEL COMPOUNDED THE PROBLEM. MGMNT HAS GIVEN US A BULLETIN THAT LISTS SUITABLE CLOSE IN ARPTS FOR NO ALTERNATE RELEASES AND TODAY FORT CAMPBELL, KY, WAS OURS. WE DO NOT CARRY APCH PLATES FOR MANY OF THEM, AND FORT CAMPBELL IS ONE OF THEM. THE WX THERE WAS ALSO PROBABLY THE SAME. ON FINAL, I BRIEFED THE FO THAT IF WE WENT AROUND FOR ANY REASON, I WOULD DECLARE EMER FUEL AND LAND BACK AT BNA. WE SAW THE RWY AT 500 FT (250 FT MINS) AND SAW A PLANE ON, BUT CLRING THE RWY. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE WERE ON THE GATE WITH 5200 POUNDS AND WERE 2000 POUNDS BELOW FLT PLAN. IF I HAD ATTEMPTED TO GO TO HSV, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN AT 2600 POUNDS OR LESS IF THINGS HAD GONE OK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES ON BEING APCHED ABOUT SITUATION COMPANY CLAIMS COMPLYING WITH FAA MINS SO SHOULD BE SAFE AND WILL NOT CHANGE. MANY PLTS HAVE COMPLAINED. RPTR AND OTHERS FEEL THEY ARE BEING ISSUED 'MASSAGED' WX WITH MOST FAVORABLE RPTS ISSUED TO AVOID AN ALTERNATE. SAYS HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO LOOK OUTSIDE AND SEE A 900 FT CEILING BUT RPT HE IS GIVEN IS 2500 FT. CALLS FSS AND TOLD 900 FT. HAS NEVER HAD LOW FUEL PROBLEM UNTIL LAST 6 MONTHS. ANALYST SUGGESTED HOT LINE.

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.