Fuel remaining. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	299067
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 32000 flight time type : 9800
ASRS Report	299067
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 other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route to sfo. Reclred from 40 mi north of beatty, nv to big sur to expect hold, originally filed by modesto arrival. Approaching big sur, inquired of center how much of a hold we might expect and advised them that we were getting close on fuel and may have to go to our alternate. They said we were #3 and should not need to make more than 2 or 3 turns in holding. During the second turn, we were cleared to proceed toward the airport on the hadley arrival. Approaching eugen intersection we were told to expect holding at tails intersection. We asked how long in holding and were told no more than 1 or 2 turns for spacing. We again informed center that fuel not adequate for extended holding, and they said to keep them advised. After 1 turn in holding, we were cleared to proceed on arrival route. While downwind in vicinity of sfo airport we were told to turn left and expect at least 1 turn for spacing. At this point, I advised approach control that we were fuel critical and either needed to go to our alternate or continue on approach and land at sfo. Approach control vectored us for approach and landing at sfo, landed without incident, fuel on board 4000 pounds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL REMAINING.

Narrative: ENRTE TO SFO. RECLRED FROM 40 MI N OF BEATTY, NV TO BIG SUR TO EXPECT HOLD, ORIGINALLY FILED BY MODESTO ARR. APCHING BIG SUR, INQUIRED OF CTR HOW MUCH OF A HOLD WE MIGHT EXPECT AND ADVISED THEM THAT WE WERE GETTING CLOSE ON FUEL AND MAY HAVE TO GO TO OUR ALTERNATE. THEY SAID WE WERE #3 AND SHOULD NOT NEED TO MAKE MORE THAN 2 OR 3 TURNS IN HOLDING. DURING THE SECOND TURN, WE WERE CLRED TO PROCEED TOWARD THE ARPT ON THE HADLEY ARR. APCHING EUGEN INTXN WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT HOLDING AT TAILS INTXN. WE ASKED HOW LONG IN HOLDING AND WERE TOLD NO MORE THAN 1 OR 2 TURNS FOR SPACING. WE AGAIN INFORMED CTR THAT FUEL NOT ADEQUATE FOR EXTENDED HOLDING, AND THEY SAID TO KEEP THEM ADVISED. AFTER 1 TURN IN HOLDING, WE WERE CLRED TO PROCEED ON ARR RTE. WHILE DOWNWIND IN VICINITY OF SFO ARPT WE WERE TOLD TO TURN L AND EXPECT AT LEAST 1 TURN FOR SPACING. AT THIS POINT, I ADVISED APCH CTL THAT WE WERE FUEL CRITICAL AND EITHER NEEDED TO GO TO OUR ALTERNATE OR CONTINUE ON APCH AND LAND AT SFO. APCH CTL VECTORED US FOR APCH AND LANDING AT SFO, LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT, FUEL ON BOARD 4000 LBS.

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.