An air carrier medium large transport requested and got emergency handling after a 'low fuel level' light came on. There was plenty of fuel and it was available.

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Attributes
ACN	236324
Time
Date	199303
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	236324
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After departing eug for pdx, leveled off at 16000 ft. Low level fuel light came on. Ran QRH checklist. Unable to get fuel light out. Declared emergency and proceeded to nearest airport which was our destination, pdx. Landed without incident. Maintenance notified. Well done to all controllers. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter states that the addition of a 'low level fuel' light is part of the ongoing attempt to fix a wing icing problem on the top surface of an air carrier medium large transport. There is no way to test the light to see if it is telling the truth and if the fuel is available. The only way to reset the light is to cycle the slats down and then up. This was not known to the reporter at the time of this incident. The light did go out when the slats were retracted after landing. There was plenty of fuel on the aircraft and it was all available in this incident. The air carrier engineering office is rather upset that the fuel/wing icing problem has not been fully fixed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG REQUESTED AND GOT EMER HANDLING AFTER A 'LOW FUEL LEVEL' LIGHT CAME ON. THERE WAS PLENTY OF FUEL AND IT WAS AVAILABLE.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING EUG FOR PDX, LEVELED OFF AT 16000 FT. LOW LEVEL FUEL LIGHT CAME ON. RAN QRH CHKLIST. UNABLE TO GET FUEL LIGHT OUT. DECLARED EMER AND PROCEEDED TO NEAREST ARPT WHICH WAS OUR DEST, PDX. LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. MAINT NOTIFIED. WELL DONE TO ALL CTLRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATES THAT THE ADDITION OF A 'LOW LEVEL FUEL' LIGHT IS PART OF THE ONGOING ATTEMPT TO FIX A WING ICING PROB ON THE TOP SURFACE OF AN ACR MLG. THERE IS NO WAY TO TEST THE LIGHT TO SEE IF IT IS TELLING THE TRUTH AND IF THE FUEL IS AVAILABLE. THE ONLY WAY TO RESET THE LIGHT IS TO CYCLE THE SLATS DOWN AND THEN UP. THIS WAS NOT KNOWN TO THE RPTR AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT. THE LIGHT DID GO OUT WHEN THE SLATS WERE RETRACTED AFTER LNDG. THERE WAS PLENTY OF FUEL ON THE ACFT AND IT WAS ALL AVAILABLE IN THIS INCIDENT. THE ACR ENGINEERING OFFICE IS RATHER UPSET THAT THE FUEL/WING ICING PROB HAS NOT BEEN FULLY FIXED.

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.