A cpr light transport pilot found himself low on fuel while on approach into msp.

Attributes
ACN	355727
Time
Date	199611
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : msp tracon : msp
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	355727
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I checked on with ZMP over alo for the kaspr arrival. I asked if there were any delays into msp, which the controller responded no delays. When I was handed off to the next controller, I was told to expect holding at kaspr intersection. I responded that we could not accept holding due to fuel status and would like to go to stp. He stated that he could give me a vector around holding traffic and still get us into msp which we accepted. We were switched to msp approach and were told to proceed direct kaspr intersection and the remainder of the arrival. Over fgt VOR we were told to turn right to 090 degree heading, as we made the turn. We were expecting a turn onto final approach when the controller stated turn further right heading 120 degrees. When I asked about the further delay vector, I was told that it wasn't a delay vector and that he had airplanes at various altitudes. I again stated that we could not accept further delays and would like to go to stp. To this point it seemed that he had not been made aware of our fuel status. When he responded to us to turn left direct to msp and that he had declared an emergency for us, we responded that 'it was not an emergency, but we wanted to go towards an airport.' he said, 'state number of souls on board' etc. Again we stated no emergency existed. After handoff to tower, we were again asked state number of souls, etc to which we stated no assistance necessary. After landing we were told to call the TRACON chief. In talking to him, I found that center never passed our fuel status to approach. He also agreed that when I asked about the delay vector, that his controller handled my question poorly. He asked how much fuel we landed with and I stated 'one half hour worth, but if he had to go around it would be much less.' the TRACON chief was very understanding and when I asked if he needed anything else of us he stated 'no.' in my opinion, the situation arose due to poor communication between center and approach control. (We were ready to go to stp if delays existed.) also, if ever in the like position, I will make sure every controller is made aware of our situation by me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR LTT PLT FOUND HIMSELF LOW ON FUEL WHILE ON APCH INTO MSP.

Narrative: I CHKED ON WITH ZMP OVER ALO FOR THE KASPR ARR. I ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY DELAYS INTO MSP, WHICH THE CTLR RESPONDED NO DELAYS. WHEN I WAS HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR, I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT HOLDING AT KASPR INTXN. I RESPONDED THAT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT HOLDING DUE TO FUEL STATUS AND WOULD LIKE TO GO TO STP. HE STATED THAT HE COULD GIVE ME A VECTOR AROUND HOLDING TFC AND STILL GET US INTO MSP WHICH WE ACCEPTED. WE WERE SWITCHED TO MSP APCH AND WERE TOLD TO PROCEED DIRECT KASPR INTXN AND THE REMAINDER OF THE ARR. OVER FGT VOR WE WERE TOLD TO TURN R TO 090 DEG HDG, AS WE MADE THE TURN. WE WERE EXPECTING A TURN ONTO FINAL APCH WHEN THE CTLR STATED TURN FURTHER R HDG 120 DEGS. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THE FURTHER DELAY VECTOR, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WASN'T A DELAY VECTOR AND THAT HE HAD AIRPLANES AT VARIOUS ALTS. I AGAIN STATED THAT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT FURTHER DELAYS AND WOULD LIKE TO GO TO STP. TO THIS POINT IT SEEMED THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF OUR FUEL STATUS. WHEN HE RESPONDED TO US TO TURN L DIRECT TO MSP AND THAT HE HAD DECLARED AN EMER FOR US, WE RESPONDED THAT 'IT WAS NOT AN EMER, BUT WE WANTED TO GO TOWARDS AN ARPT.' HE SAID, 'STATE NUMBER OF SOULS ON BOARD' ETC. AGAIN WE STATED NO EMER EXISTED. AFTER HDOF TO TWR, WE WERE AGAIN ASKED STATE NUMBER OF SOULS, ETC TO WHICH WE STATED NO ASSISTANCE NECESSARY. AFTER LNDG WE WERE TOLD TO CALL THE TRACON CHIEF. IN TALKING TO HIM, I FOUND THAT CTR NEVER PASSED OUR FUEL STATUS TO APCH. HE ALSO AGREED THAT WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THE DELAY VECTOR, THAT HIS CTLR HANDLED MY QUESTION POORLY. HE ASKED HOW MUCH FUEL WE LANDED WITH AND I STATED 'ONE HALF HR WORTH, BUT IF HE HAD TO GAR IT WOULD BE MUCH LESS.' THE TRACON CHIEF WAS VERY UNDERSTANDING AND WHEN I ASKED IF HE NEEDED ANYTHING ELSE OF US HE STATED 'NO.' IN MY OPINION, THE SIT AROSE DUE TO POOR COM BTWN CTR AND APCH CTL. (WE WERE READY TO GO TO STP IF DELAYS EXISTED.) ALSO, IF EVER IN THE LIKE POS, I WILL MAKE SURE EVERY CTLR IS MADE AWARE OF OUR SIT BY ME.

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.