Narrative:

High minimums captain dispatched from lax to den in B737-300 non-EFIS aircraft. Den forecast was for better than 5000 ft and 5 NM visibility. Was given enough fuel to den and 45 mins of reserve plus 1000 pounds of extra. First officer was PF, I was PNF. Approximately 110 mi from den, I received ATIS at dia. It said dia was 4000 ft overcast and 10 mi visibility. FMC said we arrived in dia with 4500 pounds of fuel, which would have been fine in VFR conditions. Started descent into den whereupon contacting approach control they gave us a lower altitude. We descended into the clouds, still believing that dia was 4000 ft overcast and 10 mi visibility. At this time, ATC advised us to execute a 360 degree turn because they were getting backed up on runway 35L. I asked the controller if he foresaw any further delays and he said no, and asked why -- was it because of fuel, to which I said yes. At this time I called denver dispatch and asked what the WX was in cos, told him the situation about the delays. Was told WX was like 4500 ft broken, 6000 ft overcast, and 6 mi visibility in cos. Listened to ATIS in den and it was still reporting 4000 ft overcast and 10 mi visibility. At this time, we were approximately 35 mi from dia and still believed WX in den was VFR. Was now down to 3800 pounds when controller turned us on a 30 mi final for runway 35R. We still believed that it was just traffic congestion. Was told to contact tower at marker. Switched over to tower and heard the real reason for the traffic delays -- tower was reporting 3000 ft RVR but aircraft were making it in ok. Now had approximately 3600 pounds of fuel with the burn to cos being 2000 pounds plus 2000 pounds for a missed approach. Advised first officer that we had to make this approach and on came second autoplt. Contacted tower at the marker, was cleared to land and RVR was 3000 ft. Saw approach lights at 400 ft and runway at 300 ft and at touchdown could see 1/2 way down a 12000 ft runway. Winter WX and conditions can change rapidly. Airlines should not base the amount of fuel carried on required -- but on the extra safety margin it can provide. My airline has a director of operations who is widely known for getting on pilots who always add extra fuel, so pilots are usually hesitant to carry extra gas, so when the perfect plan falls apart, they get into a jam.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HIGH WX MINIMUM CAPT OF A B737-300 LANDED WITH MINIMUM FUEL IN WX NEAR HIS QUALIFICATION MINIMUM REQUIRED. HE BELIEVES THAT CAPTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOAD EXTRA FUEL FOR COMMON DELAYS SINCE DUE TO THE WX AT LNDG SOME DELAYS WERE EXPERIENCED. HE ALSO WAS CONCERNED THAT THE DEST WX WAS GOING BELOW HIS MINIMUM AND NO FUEL WAS PLANNED FOR ALTERNATE DUE TO WX FORECAST.

Narrative: HIGH MINIMUMS CAPT DISPATCHED FROM LAX TO DEN IN B737-300 NON-EFIS ACFT. DEN FORECAST WAS FOR BETTER THAN 5000 FT AND 5 NM VISIBILITY. WAS GIVEN ENOUGH FUEL TO DEN AND 45 MINS OF RESERVE PLUS 1000 LBS OF EXTRA. FO WAS PF, I WAS PNF. APPROX 110 MI FROM DEN, I RECEIVED ATIS AT DIA. IT SAID DIA WAS 4000 FT OVCST AND 10 MI VISIBILITY. FMC SAID WE ARRIVED IN DIA WITH 4500 LBS OF FUEL, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE IN VFR CONDITIONS. STARTED DSCNT INTO DEN WHEREUPON CONTACTING APCH CTL THEY GAVE US A LOWER ALT. WE DSNDED INTO THE CLOUDS, STILL BELIEVING THAT DIA WAS 4000 FT OVCST AND 10 MI VISIBILITY. AT THIS TIME, ATC ADVISED US TO EXECUTE A 360 DEG TURN BECAUSE THEY WERE GETTING BACKED UP ON RWY 35L. I ASKED THE CTLR IF HE FORESAW ANY FURTHER DELAYS AND HE SAID NO, AND ASKED WHY -- WAS IT BECAUSE OF FUEL, TO WHICH I SAID YES. AT THIS TIME I CALLED DENVER DISPATCH AND ASKED WHAT THE WX WAS IN COS, TOLD HIM THE SIT ABOUT THE DELAYS. WAS TOLD WX WAS LIKE 4500 FT BROKEN, 6000 FT OVCST, AND 6 MI VISIBILITY IN COS. LISTENED TO ATIS IN DEN AND IT WAS STILL RPTING 4000 FT OVCST AND 10 MI VISIBILITY. AT THIS TIME, WE WERE APPROX 35 MI FROM DIA AND STILL BELIEVED WX IN DEN WAS VFR. WAS NOW DOWN TO 3800 LBS WHEN CTLR TURNED US ON A 30 MI FINAL FOR RWY 35R. WE STILL BELIEVED THAT IT WAS JUST TFC CONGESTION. WAS TOLD TO CONTACT TWR AT MARKER. SWITCHED OVER TO TWR AND HEARD THE REAL REASON FOR THE TFC DELAYS -- TWR WAS RPTING 3000 FT RVR BUT ACFT WERE MAKING IT IN OK. NOW HAD APPROX 3600 LBS OF FUEL WITH THE BURN TO COS BEING 2000 LBS PLUS 2000 LBS FOR A MISSED APCH. ADVISED FO THAT WE HAD TO MAKE THIS APCH AND ON CAME SECOND AUTOPLT. CONTACTED TWR AT THE MARKER, WAS CLRED TO LAND AND RVR WAS 3000 FT. SAW APCH LIGHTS AT 400 FT AND RWY AT 300 FT AND AT TOUCHDOWN COULD SEE 1/2 WAY DOWN A 12000 FT RWY. WINTER WX AND CONDITIONS CAN CHANGE RAPIDLY. AIRLINES SHOULD NOT BASE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL CARRIED ON REQUIRED -- BUT ON THE EXTRA SAFETY MARGIN IT CAN PROVIDE. MY AIRLINE HAS A DIRECTOR OF OPS WHO IS WIDELY KNOWN FOR GETTING ON PLTS WHO ALWAYS ADD EXTRA FUEL, SO PLTS ARE USUALLY HESITANT TO CARRY EXTRA GAS, SO WHEN THE PERFECT PLAN FALLS APART, THEY GET INTO A JAM.

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.