Divert land for fuel.

Attributes
ACN	302774
Time
Date	199504
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bvm airport : ind
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 62
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	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 : 125 flight time total : 7900 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	302774
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Received hold at bum VOR, approximately XA00 on apr/wed/95, FL370. Hold due to traffic saturation is eastern portions of ZKC airspace, due to traffic navigation around a very large area of convective activity extending up into kansas, illinois, arkansas, and tennessee. This WX was not provided to flight crew in any form, either radar summary or convective sigmets. So, the possibility of ATC delays and/or deviation unknown to flight crew. Hold time approximately 26 mins, exhausted any extra fuel on board, necessity to land at ind 120 mi short of destination, iln. Continuation to destination would have resulted in minimum fuel situation. Landed ind with 1 hour 15 mins fuel remaining. WX forecast (unknown WX) not provided to crew by dispatch (flight control) personnel. WX existed all day, should have been provided (as later discovered). Fuel remaining at scheduled (planned) destination would possibly have been less than 45 mins. Recommendations: flight control provide all and most current WX to crew, including possible ATC delays caused by WX of any function. Crew will be able to make a more informed decision as to fuel requirements for a successful completion of flight, to scheduled destination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DIVERT LAND FOR FUEL.

Narrative: RECEIVED HOLD AT BUM VOR, APPROX XA00 ON APR/WED/95, FL370. HOLD DUE TO TFC SATURATION IS EASTERN PORTIONS OF ZKC AIRSPACE, DUE TO TFC NAV AROUND A VERY LARGE AREA OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY EXTENDING UP INTO KANSAS, ILLINOIS, ARKANSAS, AND TENNESSEE. THIS WX WAS NOT PROVIDED TO FLC IN ANY FORM, EITHER RADAR SUMMARY OR CONVECTIVE SIGMETS. SO, THE POSSIBILITY OF ATC DELAYS AND/OR DEV UNKNOWN TO FLC. HOLD TIME APPROX 26 MINS, EXHAUSTED ANY EXTRA FUEL ON BOARD, NECESSITY TO LAND AT IND 120 MI SHORT OF DEST, ILN. CONTINUATION TO DEST WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN MINIMUM FUEL SIT. LANDED IND WITH 1 HR 15 MINS FUEL REMAINING. WX FORECAST (UNKNOWN WX) NOT PROVIDED TO CREW BY DISPATCH (FLT CTL) PERSONNEL. WX EXISTED ALL DAY, SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED (AS LATER DISCOVERED). FUEL REMAINING AT SCHEDULED (PLANNED) DEST WOULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN LESS THAN 45 MINS. RECOMMENDATIONS: FLT CTL PROVIDE ALL AND MOST CURRENT WX TO CREW, INCLUDING POSSIBLE ATC DELAYS CAUSED BY WX OF ANY FUNCTION. CREW WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A MORE INFORMED DECISION AS TO FUEL REQUIREMENTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF FLT, TO SCHEDULED 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.