Medium large transport dispatched with 5 mins of holding fuel.

Attributes
ACN	273841
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	273841
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight dispatched legally for transcontinental flight, but with just 5 mins of holding fuel. Legally eliminated alternate when higher-than-forecast winds encountered en route, providing an extra 20 mins of holding fuel. Despite 30 mi visibility and no cloud cover, issued hold 30 mi out of sea, reducing fuel now to minimum. Declared minimum fuel condition and landed with 1800 pounds above minimum reserve. Legal, but flts should not be scheduled with equipment which is consistently marginal for operation and which leaves little room for hold.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG DISPATCHED WITH 5 MINS OF HOLDING FUEL.

Narrative: FLT DISPATCHED LEGALLY FOR TRANSCONTINENTAL FLT, BUT WITH JUST 5 MINS OF HOLDING FUEL. LEGALLY ELIMINATED ALTERNATE WHEN HIGHER-THAN-FORECAST WINDS ENCOUNTERED ENRTE, PROVIDING AN EXTRA 20 MINS OF HOLDING FUEL. DESPITE 30 MI VISIBILITY AND NO CLOUD COVER, ISSUED HOLD 30 MI OUT OF SEA, REDUCING FUEL NOW TO MINIMUM. DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL CONDITION AND LANDED WITH 1800 LBS ABOVE MINIMUM RESERVE. LEGAL, BUT FLTS SHOULD NOT BE SCHEDULED WITH EQUIP WHICH IS CONSISTENTLY MARGINAL FOR OP AND WHICH LEAVES LITTLE ROOM FOR HOLD.

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.