An SF340 flight crew lands with below IFR fuel reserves at anc, ak.

Attributes
ACN	611478
Time
Date	200403
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan.artcc tower : san.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 1300
ASRS Report	611478
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : gps & low fuel light other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Left dutch harbor, ak, for anchorage, ak, expecting high headwinds once at cruise. Center advised that several other aircraft had better ground speeds at 15000 ft. We descended out of 21000 ft. Winds did not decrease and had around 50-60 KTS on the nose until king salmon, ak. From akn to anc, winds steadily decreased from 50 to 20 KTS. Winds were a lot higher than forecasted and the lower altitude increased fuel flow about 50%. We had a federal (aci) on board and I was reluctant to bring up our fuel status to the captain, so I entered all information into GPS trip computer and kept it up to date while hoping the captain noticed. Near a possible fuel stop of akn, I asked the captain to look and see if I had entered information correctly into trip computer. He studied for a min and stated it all looked good. I had already had one encounter with the captain on a disagreement. I did not feel comfortable confronting him again in front of the federal jump seater. The computer showed that we could make anc ok, but would dip into our reserve. We got a low fuel light on descent into anc and the appropriate checklists were completed. Shut down in anc left us with 30 min reserve fuel and the federal stated that he was not happy at all.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SF340 FLT CREW LANDS WITH BELOW IFR FUEL RESERVES AT ANC, AK.

Narrative: LEFT DUTCH HARBOR, AK, FOR ANCHORAGE, AK, EXPECTING HIGH HEADWINDS ONCE AT CRUISE. CTR ADVISED THAT SEVERAL OTHER ACFT HAD BETTER GND SPDS AT 15000 FT. WE DSNDED OUT OF 21000 FT. WINDS DID NOT DECREASE AND HAD AROUND 50-60 KTS ON THE NOSE UNTIL KING SALMON, AK. FROM AKN TO ANC, WINDS STEADILY DECREASED FROM 50 TO 20 KTS. WINDS WERE A LOT HIGHER THAN FORECASTED AND THE LOWER ALT INCREASED FUEL FLOW ABOUT 50%. WE HAD A FEDERAL (ACI) ON BOARD AND I WAS RELUCTANT TO BRING UP OUR FUEL STATUS TO THE CAPT, SO I ENTERED ALL INFO INTO GPS TRIP COMPUTER AND KEPT IT UP TO DATE WHILE HOPING THE CAPT NOTICED. NEAR A POSSIBLE FUEL STOP OF AKN, I ASKED THE CAPT TO LOOK AND SEE IF I HAD ENTERED INFO CORRECTLY INTO TRIP COMPUTER. HE STUDIED FOR A MIN AND STATED IT ALL LOOKED GOOD. I HAD ALREADY HAD ONE ENCOUNTER WITH THE CAPT ON A DISAGREEMENT. I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE CONFRONTING HIM AGAIN IN FRONT OF THE FEDERAL JUMP SEATER. THE COMPUTER SHOWED THAT WE COULD MAKE ANC OK, BUT WOULD DIP INTO OUR RESERVE. WE GOT A LOW FUEL LIGHT ON DSCNT INTO ANC AND THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED. SHUT DOWN IN ANC LEFT US WITH 30 MIN RESERVE FUEL AND THE FEDERAL STATED THAT HE WAS NOT HAPPY AT ALL.

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.