Narrative:

During the flight from the west coast, we continued to overburn our flight plan fuel. This was due to weight, temperature, wind, and deviating around convective WX. 1 hour 40 mins prior to landing we advised dispatch of the situation. 1 hour prior to landing, we called again and requested a fuel stop. Our figures showed we would arrive with 1 hour fuel remaining, not enough for alternate and reserve. Dispatch requested that we press on to destination, they would call ZID and day approach and get us priority handling. We advised ATC we were 'minimum fuel.' upon arrival in the terminal area dayton advised that we were #6 for the runway and the flight engineer advised we had 55 mins of fuel remaining. I did not want to take the delay and burn another 12-18 mins of fuel, so we declared an emergency, went directly to the final and landed. Although the WX was good, this is a single runway airport and arriving with less than 45 mins fuel leaves one with no options. Chief pilot was upset at my decision to declare emergency and hinted that disciplinary action may follow. He further stated that had I fuel stopped with that much fuel onboard, I would be in 'real trouble!'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARGO WDB HAS LOW FUEL CONDITION. DECLARES EMER.

Narrative: DURING THE FLT FROM THE W COAST, WE CONTINUED TO OVERBURN OUR FLT PLAN FUEL. THIS WAS DUE TO WT, TEMP, WIND, AND DEVIATING AROUND CONVECTIVE WX. 1 HR 40 MINS PRIOR TO LNDG WE ADVISED DISPATCH OF THE SIT. 1 HR PRIOR TO LNDG, WE CALLED AGAIN AND REQUESTED A FUEL STOP. OUR FIGURES SHOWED WE WOULD ARRIVE WITH 1 HR FUEL REMAINING, NOT ENOUGH FOR ALTERNATE AND RESERVE. DISPATCH REQUESTED THAT WE PRESS ON TO DEST, THEY WOULD CALL ZID AND DAY APCH AND GET US PRIORITY HANDLING. WE ADVISED ATC WE WERE 'MINIMUM FUEL.' UPON ARR IN THE TERMINAL AREA DAYTON ADVISED THAT WE WERE #6 FOR THE RWY AND THE FE ADVISED WE HAD 55 MINS OF FUEL REMAINING. I DID NOT WANT TO TAKE THE DELAY AND BURN ANOTHER 12-18 MINS OF FUEL, SO WE DECLARED AN EMER, WENT DIRECTLY TO THE FINAL AND LANDED. ALTHOUGH THE WX WAS GOOD, THIS IS A SINGLE RWY ARPT AND ARRIVING WITH LESS THAN 45 MINS FUEL LEAVES ONE WITH NO OPTIONS. CHIEF PLT WAS UPSET AT MY DECISION TO DECLARE EMER AND HINTED THAT DISCIPLINARY ACTION MAY FOLLOW. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HAD I FUEL STOPPED WITH THAT MUCH FUEL ONBOARD, I WOULD BE IN 'REAL TROUBLE!'

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.