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An A320 pilot planned a minimum fuel flight from las to phx and had to declare critical fuel in order to receive priority handling from phx approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 452787 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199910 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zab.artcc |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl single value : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | 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 : 200 flight time total : 10001 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 452787 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Company |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Flight was planned with minimum fuel + 1200 pounds extra from las to phx. Chain of events started on taxi, with an unexpected ground delay of 20 mins on the taxiway with engine running. This was followed by an initial call from ZLA of 'do not exceed 250 KTS, expect this for the entire route, turn right to XXX.' from that point on, we were never on course. We were on constant vectors left and right of course. We were handed to ZAB. The controller was very busy. We calculated 4500 pounds of fuel upon landing. We tried to get on frequency stating we were going to be fuel critical in about 4 mins. By the time we got in on the radio and were answered, we were showing landing with 4000 pounds (the planned reserve fuel). We were still 100+ mi, straight line to phx, and still on a heading east, away from the airport. With the chain of events up to that point, I felt the best action to get priority handling was to state, 'we are now at emergency fuel and must go straight to phx.' ATC complied and we shortened our route considerably, landing with 4.6 fuel on board. My emergency may have been early, but, given the chain of events of the day and not being given to approach control yet, I felt it was best to break the chain.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 PLT PLANNED A MINIMUM FUEL FLT FROM LAS TO PHX AND HAD TO DECLARE CRITICAL FUEL IN ORDER TO RECEIVE PRIORITY HANDLING FROM PHX APCH.
Narrative: FLT WAS PLANNED WITH MINIMUM FUEL + 1200 LBS EXTRA FROM LAS TO PHX. CHAIN OF EVENTS STARTED ON TAXI, WITH AN UNEXPECTED GND DELAY OF 20 MINS ON THE TXWY WITH ENG RUNNING. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY AN INITIAL CALL FROM ZLA OF 'DO NOT EXCEED 250 KTS, EXPECT THIS FOR THE ENTIRE RTE, TURN R TO XXX.' FROM THAT POINT ON, WE WERE NEVER ON COURSE. WE WERE ON CONSTANT VECTORS L AND R OF COURSE. WE WERE HANDED TO ZAB. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY. WE CALCULATED 4500 LBS OF FUEL UPON LNDG. WE TRIED TO GET ON FREQ STATING WE WERE GOING TO BE FUEL CRITICAL IN ABOUT 4 MINS. BY THE TIME WE GOT IN ON THE RADIO AND WERE ANSWERED, WE WERE SHOWING LNDG WITH 4000 LBS (THE PLANNED RESERVE FUEL). WE WERE STILL 100+ MI, STRAIGHT LINE TO PHX, AND STILL ON A HDG E, AWAY FROM THE ARPT. WITH THE CHAIN OF EVENTS UP TO THAT POINT, I FELT THE BEST ACTION TO GET PRIORITY HANDLING WAS TO STATE, 'WE ARE NOW AT EMER FUEL AND MUST GO STRAIGHT TO PHX.' ATC COMPLIED AND WE SHORTENED OUR RTE CONSIDERABLY, LNDG WITH 4.6 FUEL ON BOARD. MY EMER MAY HAVE BEEN EARLY, BUT, GIVEN THE CHAIN OF EVENTS OF THE DAY AND NOT BEING GIVEN TO APCH CTL YET, I FELT IT WAS BEST TO BREAK THE CHAIN.
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.