Narrative:

After filing an IFR flight plan for an altitude of FL240, and receiving a clearance to expect that altitude 10 mins after departure, orl approach assigned 12000 ft as a final cruise altitude. I informed them that we needed a higher cruise altitude which was denied. At that time, with a line of thunderstorms to navigation around, I had no choice but to declare minimum fuel for our destination. If any further delay or additional vectoring occurred while only a narrow route through the thunderstorms was safe, our fuel reserves would have been below a safe amount for the conditions. The route filed was well south of the orl area and left more options for thunderstorm avoidance. Upon landing, our fuel remaining was 1065 pounds. This is the reserve that was planned, but flying further around the storms and much higher. I was asked to call orl approach after landing, which I did. The controller was very upset that I declared minimum fuel. He said that at no time can an aircraft fly higher than 12000 ft on that route. Several days earlier, I flew the same route at FL250. If a pilot with little experience were to hear this controller's anger, they might let ATC know if a low fuel situation develops.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE40 CREW, DEPARTING MLB, DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL FOR DEST WHEN ATC RESTR THEIR CLB TO 12000 FT.

Narrative: AFTER FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN FOR AN ALT OF FL240, AND RECEIVING A CLRNC TO EXPECT THAT ALT 10 MINS AFTER DEP, ORL APCH ASSIGNED 12000 FT AS A FINAL CRUISE ALT. I INFORMED THEM THAT WE NEEDED A HIGHER CRUISE ALT WHICH WAS DENIED. AT THAT TIME, WITH A LINE OF TSTMS TO NAV AROUND, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO DECLARE MINIMUM FUEL FOR OUR DEST. IF ANY FURTHER DELAY OR ADDITIONAL VECTORING OCCURRED WHILE ONLY A NARROW RTE THROUGH THE TSTMS WAS SAFE, OUR FUEL RESERVES WOULD HAVE BEEN BELOW A SAFE AMOUNT FOR THE CONDITIONS. THE RTE FILED WAS WELL S OF THE ORL AREA AND LEFT MORE OPTIONS FOR TSTM AVOIDANCE. UPON LNDG, OUR FUEL REMAINING WAS 1065 LBS. THIS IS THE RESERVE THAT WAS PLANNED, BUT FLYING FURTHER AROUND THE STORMS AND MUCH HIGHER. I WAS ASKED TO CALL ORL APCH AFTER LNDG, WHICH I DID. THE CTLR WAS VERY UPSET THAT I DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL. HE SAID THAT AT NO TIME CAN AN ACFT FLY HIGHER THAN 12000 FT ON THAT RTE. SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER, I FLEW THE SAME RTE AT FL250. IF A PLT WITH LITTLE EXPERIENCE WERE TO HEAR THIS CTLR'S ANGER, THEY MIGHT LET ATC KNOW IF A LOW FUEL SIT DEVELOPS.

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.