Medium large transport has low fuel condition, receives priority handling.

Attributes
ACN	288519
Time
Date	199411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fim
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
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 : 15000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	288519
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route sfo-lax. Approaching fim, controller cleared us into holding at fim due to socal approach loss of frequencys. I asked if other socal airports were affected -- they were. I called company and continued with dispatch regarding alternatives. Dispatch from sfo was with low fuel and no alternate because of good WX at lax. Sfo WX was no good. We decided that 7200 pounds of fuel was required at start of approach to lax to allow us to use las as an alternate. Current fuel state showed us landing lax with 7700 pounds. I told center that we would not be able to hold past our efc because of fuel. Center said at the efc would go right in. We left fim at efc. Approaching smo, approach advised that both 25 runways at lax were closed temporarily and to expect extended downwinds. I advised socal approach that we were fuel critical. Socal gave us expedited handling, and we landed without event. Fuel remaining at gate was 7400 pounds. Everything worked ok. Dispatch gave us good information quickly. Socal responded appropriately to our 'fuel critical' announcement. I would not do anything differently in the future. I think it was a good example of the whole system working together to insure safe flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS LOW FUEL CONDITION, RECEIVES PRIORITY HANDLING.

Narrative: ENRTE SFO-LAX. APCHING FIM, CTLR CLRED US INTO HOLDING AT FIM DUE TO SOCAL APCH LOSS OF FREQS. I ASKED IF OTHER SOCAL ARPTS WERE AFFECTED -- THEY WERE. I CALLED COMPANY AND CONTINUED WITH DISPATCH REGARDING ALTERNATIVES. DISPATCH FROM SFO WAS WITH LOW FUEL AND NO ALTERNATE BECAUSE OF GOOD WX AT LAX. SFO WX WAS NO GOOD. WE DECIDED THAT 7200 LBS OF FUEL WAS REQUIRED AT START OF APCH TO LAX TO ALLOW US TO USE LAS AS AN ALTERNATE. CURRENT FUEL STATE SHOWED US LNDG LAX WITH 7700 LBS. I TOLD CTR THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HOLD PAST OUR EFC BECAUSE OF FUEL. CTR SAID AT THE EFC WOULD GO RIGHT IN. WE LEFT FIM AT EFC. APCHING SMO, APCH ADVISED THAT BOTH 25 RWYS AT LAX WERE CLOSED TEMPORARILY AND TO EXPECT EXTENDED DOWNWINDS. I ADVISED SOCAL APCH THAT WE WERE FUEL CRITICAL. SOCAL GAVE US EXPEDITED HANDLING, AND WE LANDED WITHOUT EVENT. FUEL REMAINING AT GATE WAS 7400 LBS. EVERYTHING WORKED OK. DISPATCH GAVE US GOOD INFO QUICKLY. SOCAL RESPONDED APPROPRIATELY TO OUR 'FUEL CRITICAL' ANNOUNCEMENT. I WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY IN THE FUTURE. I THINK IT WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE WHOLE SYS WORKING TOGETHER TO INSURE SAFE FLT.

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.