A cpr light transport pilot almost landed with dry tanks.

Attributes
ACN	252167
Time
Date	199309
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mkc airport : mci
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc tracon : mci
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	252167
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight plan to land with 1200 pounds fuel. On the last 200 mi observed on radar a line of thunderstorms that went from south mkc to central missouri, approximately 20 mi wide. The heaviest part being towards central missouri. We decided to delay our descent and go over the top, and then come down with our spoilers out and a quick descent for the last 50 mi. We hit moderate turbulence in the descent. The center stopped us at 23000 and said he had traffic and could not get us down for 30 mi. Another controller got us down to 16000 and told us he didn't know how long it would take to get us down. A controller asked if we wanted to declare an emergency. We told him no, but that we would like them to help us. Another controller told us that mkc went to 3/8 mi visibility. I told him we needed to get to an airport (mci). Approach control at mci came on and gave us priority service for an ILS 1L approach. He asked how much fuel and people we had on board, which was 20 mins and 4 people. Our wind screens were fogging and he gave us the frequency and course inbound for the approach. After landing we had 700 pounds of fuel. We should have stopped short and refueled instead of flying into a thunderstorm area with minimum fuel and expecting to get right in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR LTT PLT ALMOST LANDED WITH DRY TANKS.

Narrative: FLT PLAN TO LAND WITH 1200 LBS FUEL. ON THE LAST 200 MI OBSERVED ON RADAR A LINE OF TSTMS THAT WENT FROM S MKC TO CENTRAL MISSOURI, APPROX 20 MI WIDE. THE HEAVIEST PART BEING TOWARDS CENTRAL MISSOURI. WE DECIDED TO DELAY OUR DSCNT AND GO OVER THE TOP, AND THEN COME DOWN WITH OUR SPOILERS OUT AND A QUICK DSCNT FOR THE LAST 50 MI. WE HIT MODERATE TURB IN THE DSCNT. THE CTR STOPPED US AT 23000 AND SAID HE HAD TFC AND COULD NOT GET US DOWN FOR 30 MI. ANOTHER CTLR GOT US DOWN TO 16000 AND TOLD US HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO GET US DOWN. A CTLR ASKED IF WE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER. WE TOLD HIM NO, BUT THAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO HELP US. ANOTHER CTLR TOLD US THAT MKC WENT TO 3/8 MI VISIBILITY. I TOLD HIM WE NEEDED TO GET TO AN ARPT (MCI). APCH CTL AT MCI CAME ON AND GAVE US PRIORITY SVC FOR AN ILS 1L APCH. HE ASKED HOW MUCH FUEL AND PEOPLE WE HAD ON BOARD, WHICH WAS 20 MINS AND 4 PEOPLE. OUR WIND SCREENS WERE FOGGING AND HE GAVE US THE FREQ AND COURSE INBOUND FOR THE APCH. AFTER LNDG WE HAD 700 LBS OF FUEL. WE SHOULD HAVE STOPPED SHORT AND REFUELED INSTEAD OF FLYING INTO A TSTM AREA WITH MINIMUM FUEL AND EXPECTING TO GET RIGHT IN.

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.