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A B777-200 on an international flight into iad declared minimum fuel after they were vectored extensively during the arrival.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 715989 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200611 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zbw.artcc |
| State Reference | NH |
| Altitude | msl single value : 40000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B777-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : relief pilot |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 715989 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Weather Company Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
The flight plan called for landing in iad with 17.0 fuel. The WX was forecast to be clear and windy from the northwest. We were delayed at the gate 20 mins for a missing passenger with a bag needing to be pulled from cargo. After crossing into bos airspace; a rerte was given to us and 2 other aircraft. The rerte took us far west off course over srq and then down over psb. We were FL400 and received a clearance to descend to FL300 as well as slow to mach .75. We were then given a vector 90 degrees off course to the right and about 10 mins later; a vector 90 degrees off course to the left. We asked about the delay/rerte and ATC said they needed 40 mins in trail. Between srq and psb; the FMC showed landing with 10.5 in iad. The captain and I were in the seats and the other first officer was on break. We started looking at pit as an alternate for fuel and contacted dispatch. The captain was reluctant to declare 'minimum fuel' with ATC. After much discussion between he and I; he advised ZBW 'minimum fuel.' the flying first officer was called off break. We were switched to ZNY and advised new york 'minimum fuel' and that we could not take any more delays. We were questioned several times as to if this was an emergency; were we declaring an emergency? The captain answered 'no; but we can't accept any more delays.' ZNY asked 'what is your fuel on board in mins?' the captain said '1 hour 10 mins.' 'til exhaustion?!!!' said new york. The captain stated to us (both first officer's) that if we don't get any more delays after psb; we're going to iad 'we have plenty of airports around; ie; harrisburg.' I argued the difference between 'minimum fuel' and 'emergency fuel' and he stated that he knew the difference and if he had to declare an emergency; he would use captain's authority/authorized to do whatever he wanted. After psb; the fuel showed 9.5 arrival in iad and we were headed to iad and descending for runway 1R. The 'fuel low' EICAS came on and the captain accomplished the checklist. The landing was uneventful and we blocked in with 7.5.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B777-200 ON AN INTL FLT INTO IAD DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL AFTER THEY WERE VECTORED EXTENSIVELY DURING THE ARR.
Narrative: THE FLT PLAN CALLED FOR LNDG IN IAD WITH 17.0 FUEL. THE WX WAS FORECAST TO BE CLR AND WINDY FROM THE NW. WE WERE DELAYED AT THE GATE 20 MINS FOR A MISSING PAX WITH A BAG NEEDING TO BE PULLED FROM CARGO. AFTER XING INTO BOS AIRSPACE; A RERTE WAS GIVEN TO US AND 2 OTHER ACFT. THE RERTE TOOK US FAR W OFF COURSE OVER SRQ AND THEN DOWN OVER PSB. WE WERE FL400 AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO DSND TO FL300 AS WELL AS SLOW TO MACH .75. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A VECTOR 90 DEGS OFF COURSE TO THE R AND ABOUT 10 MINS LATER; A VECTOR 90 DEGS OFF COURSE TO THE L. WE ASKED ABOUT THE DELAY/RERTE AND ATC SAID THEY NEEDED 40 MINS IN TRAIL. BTWN SRQ AND PSB; THE FMC SHOWED LNDG WITH 10.5 IN IAD. THE CAPT AND I WERE IN THE SEATS AND THE OTHER FO WAS ON BREAK. WE STARTED LOOKING AT PIT AS AN ALTERNATE FOR FUEL AND CONTACTED DISPATCH. THE CAPT WAS RELUCTANT TO DECLARE 'MINIMUM FUEL' WITH ATC. AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION BTWN HE AND I; HE ADVISED ZBW 'MINIMUM FUEL.' THE FLYING FO WAS CALLED OFF BREAK. WE WERE SWITCHED TO ZNY AND ADVISED NEW YORK 'MINIMUM FUEL' AND THAT WE COULD NOT TAKE ANY MORE DELAYS. WE WERE QUESTIONED SEVERAL TIMES AS TO IF THIS WAS AN EMER; WERE WE DECLARING AN EMER? THE CAPT ANSWERED 'NO; BUT WE CAN'T ACCEPT ANY MORE DELAYS.' ZNY ASKED 'WHAT IS YOUR FUEL ON BOARD IN MINS?' THE CAPT SAID '1 HR 10 MINS.' 'TIL EXHAUSTION?!!!' SAID NEW YORK. THE CAPT STATED TO US (BOTH FO'S) THAT IF WE DON'T GET ANY MORE DELAYS AFTER PSB; WE'RE GOING TO IAD 'WE HAVE PLENTY OF ARPTS AROUND; IE; HARRISBURG.' I ARGUED THE DIFFERENCE BTWN 'MINIMUM FUEL' AND 'EMER FUEL' AND HE STATED THAT HE KNEW THE DIFFERENCE AND IF HE HAD TO DECLARE AN EMER; HE WOULD USE CAPT'S AUTH TO DO WHATEVER HE WANTED. AFTER PSB; THE FUEL SHOWED 9.5 ARR IN IAD AND WE WERE HEADED TO IAD AND DSNDING FOR RWY 1R. THE 'FUEL LOW' EICAS CAME ON AND THE CAPT ACCOMPLISHED THE CHKLIST. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND WE BLOCKED IN WITH 7.5.
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.