Narrative:

Landing with minimum fuel; 'low fuel caution' light illuminated. Flight plan called for 300 pounds for taxi and 500 pounds 'extra' and 1200 pounds for an alternate. The total fuel was planned at 27600 pounds. When I did my calculations; I came up with 29000 pounds. I asked the operations agent to bring the fuel up to 28000 pounds. When we left the gate we had 28000 pounds. When we arrived at the gate we had 4400 pounds which according to the flight plan 4300 pounds was required to legally complete the flight. We had to delete our alternate en route in order to make it legal. I was very uncomfortable with this result. Moreover; we had to declare 'minimum fuel' to assure that we would be legal. If we had left with the original 27600 pounds we would have had to divert to yvr or some other destination. I think the fuel planning as it evolved has become a problem. How much time and money would be lost if we had had to divert. There has to be some allowance for the unforeseen sits such as a higher than forecast headwinds (as was the situation). Please don't plan 300 pounds taxi fuel -- especially at ZZZ. 700-800 pounds is more realistic with the construction and volume of traffic.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERED HIGHER THAN FORECAST HEADWINDS AND LANDED IN ZZZ WITH LOW FUEL CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED.

Narrative: LNDG WITH MINIMUM FUEL; 'LOW FUEL CAUTION' LIGHT ILLUMINATED. FLT PLAN CALLED FOR 300 LBS FOR TAXI AND 500 LBS 'EXTRA' AND 1200 LBS FOR AN ALTERNATE. THE TOTAL FUEL WAS PLANNED AT 27600 LBS. WHEN I DID MY CALCULATIONS; I CAME UP WITH 29000 LBS. I ASKED THE OPS AGENT TO BRING THE FUEL UP TO 28000 LBS. WHEN WE LEFT THE GATE WE HAD 28000 LBS. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE WE HAD 4400 LBS WHICH ACCORDING TO THE FLT PLAN 4300 LBS WAS REQUIRED TO LEGALLY COMPLETE THE FLT. WE HAD TO DELETE OUR ALTERNATE ENRTE IN ORDER TO MAKE IT LEGAL. I WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS RESULT. MOREOVER; WE HAD TO DECLARE 'MINIMUM FUEL' TO ASSURE THAT WE WOULD BE LEGAL. IF WE HAD LEFT WITH THE ORIGINAL 27600 LBS WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO DIVERT TO YVR OR SOME OTHER DEST. I THINK THE FUEL PLANNING AS IT EVOLVED HAS BECOME A PROB. HOW MUCH TIME AND MONEY WOULD BE LOST IF WE HAD HAD TO DIVERT. THERE HAS TO BE SOME ALLOWANCE FOR THE UNFORESEEN SITS SUCH AS A HIGHER THAN FORECAST HEADWINDS (AS WAS THE SIT). PLEASE DON'T PLAN 300 LBS TAXI FUEL -- ESPECIALLY AT ZZZ. 700-800 LBS IS MORE REALISTIC WITH THE CONSTRUCTION AND VOLUME OF TFC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.