Narrative:

This flight originated at iah and was dispatched to sea with bfi as alternate. Planned arrival fuel at sea was 5400 pounds and we were to depart at maximum gross takeoff weight. Strong headwinds were forecast all along the route and in discussions with my dispatcher it was resolved to review our fuel state at den and to decide at that point whether to land at den or continue. Fuel state at den projected 5100 pounds upon arrival and the flight was continued. Stronger than forecast headwinds were encountered after den resulting in a projected landing fuel of 4000 pounds while passing PDT VOR on chins 2 arrival (about 170 mi from sea). WX at both primary and alternate airport was at no time a concern. ATC advised us to expect holding on the arrival and we responded that we could not hold more than one 'lap.' a 360 degree turn and a speed reduction was accepted by ATC as a compromise. While still about 40 mi from sea we were issued a further speed reduction, first to 210 KTS, then 180, and finally 150 KTS. Intermittent icing conditions existed during this period requiring use of engine and airfoil anti and de-icing, adding to our already higher than normal fuel flows. Approach/runway in use was ILS runway 16R and we were vectored on to a left downwind for this approach. Still at 150 KTS. Our final approach was roughly 20 mi long and with strong mid-level winds between 5000 and 10000 ft, our average ground speed on this segment was below 100 KTS. Upon arrival at the gate, fuel remaining was 2700 pounds. It is, I think, noteworthy that our condition went from slight deterioration in fuel reserves during the first 4 1/2 hours of flight to becoming a major reduction during the final 30 mins and while relatively close to the destination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG LANDS WITH LESS THAN MINIMUM FUEL.

Narrative: THIS FLT ORIGINATED AT IAH AND WAS DISPATCHED TO SEA WITH BFI AS ALTERNATE. PLANNED ARR FUEL AT SEA WAS 5400 LBS AND WE WERE TO DEPART AT MAX GROSS TKOF WT. STRONG HEADWINDS WERE FORECAST ALL ALONG THE RTE AND IN DISCUSSIONS WITH MY DISPATCHER IT WAS RESOLVED TO REVIEW OUR FUEL STATE AT DEN AND TO DECIDE AT THAT POINT WHETHER TO LAND AT DEN OR CONTINUE. FUEL STATE AT DEN PROJECTED 5100 LBS UPON ARR AND THE FLT WAS CONTINUED. STRONGER THAN FORECAST HEADWINDS WERE ENCOUNTERED AFTER DEN RESULTING IN A PROJECTED LNDG FUEL OF 4000 LBS WHILE PASSING PDT VOR ON CHINS 2 ARR (ABOUT 170 MI FROM SEA). WX AT BOTH PRIMARY AND ALTERNATE ARPT WAS AT NO TIME A CONCERN. ATC ADVISED US TO EXPECT HOLDING ON THE ARR AND WE RESPONDED THAT WE COULD NOT HOLD MORE THAN ONE 'LAP.' A 360 DEG TURN AND A SPD REDUCTION WAS ACCEPTED BY ATC AS A COMPROMISE. WHILE STILL ABOUT 40 MI FROM SEA WE WERE ISSUED A FURTHER SPD REDUCTION, FIRST TO 210 KTS, THEN 180, AND FINALLY 150 KTS. INTERMITTENT ICING CONDITIONS EXISTED DURING THIS PERIOD REQUIRING USE OF ENG AND AIRFOIL ANTI AND DE-ICING, ADDING TO OUR ALREADY HIGHER THAN NORMAL FUEL FLOWS. APCH/RWY IN USE WAS ILS RWY 16R AND WE WERE VECTORED ON TO A L DOWNWIND FOR THIS APCH. STILL AT 150 KTS. OUR FINAL APCH WAS ROUGHLY 20 MI LONG AND WITH STRONG MID-LEVEL WINDS BTWN 5000 AND 10000 FT, OUR AVERAGE GND SPD ON THIS SEGMENT WAS BELOW 100 KTS. UPON ARR AT THE GATE, FUEL REMAINING WAS 2700 LBS. IT IS, I THINK, NOTEWORTHY THAT OUR CONDITION WENT FROM SLIGHT DETERIORATION IN FUEL RESERVES DURING THE FIRST 4 1/2 HRS OF FLT TO BECOMING A MAJOR REDUCTION DURING THE FINAL 30 MINS AND WHILE RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THE 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.