<< >> NASA ASRS Report 235281, February 1993

When ATC asked for his fuel remaining, reporter gave the fuel he estimated he would have on board after his landing.

Attributes
ACN	235281
Time
Date	199302
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fim airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	235281
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZLA requested remaining fuel. I may have misunderstood question. I answered with quantity after calculating and subtracting fuel required to reach my destination. Shortly thereafter, center asked an airline behind me the same question. They responded 15 extra. On their handoff to tower, ATC advised them to report to tower of their fuel emergency. The pilot responded he did not have an emergency as he had normal fuel requirement. I realized even though ATC did not advise me the same that a misunderstanding took place. Maybe we both should have reported total fuel remaining and allowed ATC to compute what we would need to our destination. This is more complicated as the pilot not knowing of future assigned altitudes or diversions cannot accurately compute remaining fuel at destination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHEN ATC ASKED FOR HIS FUEL REMAINING, RPTR GAVE THE FUEL HE ESTIMATED HE WOULD HAVE ON BOARD AFTER HIS LNDG.

Narrative: ZLA REQUESTED REMAINING FUEL. I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD QUESTION. I ANSWERED WITH QUANTITY AFTER CALCULATING AND SUBTRACTING FUEL REQUIRED TO REACH MY DEST. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CTR ASKED AN AIRLINE BEHIND ME THE SAME QUESTION. THEY RESPONDED 15 EXTRA. ON THEIR HDOF TO TWR, ATC ADVISED THEM TO RPT TO TWR OF THEIR FUEL EMER. THE PLT RESPONDED HE DID NOT HAVE AN EMER AS HE HAD NORMAL FUEL REQUIREMENT. I REALIZED EVEN THOUGH ATC DID NOT ADVISE ME THE SAME THAT A MISUNDERSTANDING TOOK PLACE. MAYBE WE BOTH SHOULD HAVE RPTED TOTAL FUEL REMAINING AND ALLOWED ATC TO COMPUTE WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO OUR DEST. THIS IS MORE COMPLICATED AS THE PLT NOT KNOWING OF FUTURE ASSIGNED ALTS OR DIVERSIONS CANNOT ACCURATELY COMPUTE REMAINING FUEL AT DEST.

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.