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Extensive vectoring due to WX and emergency handling of another aircraft results in E170 declaring min fuel.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 731112 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200703 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phl.airport |
| State Reference | PA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : phl.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Embraer Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 9r |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : phl.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time type : 1600 |
| ASRS Report | 731112 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel quantity gauges other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
This report is for the declaration of minimum fuel on approach in phl. Flight release has zero holding fuel 1273 tnkr and no alternate. An alternate was not needed per the WX reports/forecasts. The flight was normal through all phases until on approach. Since phl had a low cloud layer (not forecast) the final approach vectoring was rather long (double downwind). We were handed over to the final controller and started to be vectored for approach. As we were to intercept we were pulled off the approach due to a DC10 with a no-gyro problem. We were vectored and again taken off the approach due to the same aircraft. At this point we knew our fuel was becoming an issue and ACARS dispatch to go to abe. Now we were put back on the approach and we made the minimum fuel declaration. We landed without incident with approximately 3300 pounds. I write this to bring up the fact that even though we had 1273 pounds tnkr this can be used quickly. In our case we were descended and slowed so our fuel burn was high (4000 pounds/hour); in addition to the long vectors. I think extra fuel could always be used in phl or at least an alternate; regardless of WX; to provide an extra layer of cushion and avoid a possible diversion or min fuel problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: EXTENSIVE VECTORING DUE TO WX AND EMER HANDLING OF ANOTHER ACFT RESULTS IN E170 DECLARING MIN FUEL.
Narrative: THIS RPT IS FOR THE DECLARATION OF MINIMUM FUEL ON APCH IN PHL. FLT RELEASE HAS ZERO HOLDING FUEL 1273 TNKR AND NO ALTERNATE. AN ALTERNATE WAS NOT NEEDED PER THE WX RPTS/FORECASTS. THE FLT WAS NORMAL THROUGH ALL PHASES UNTIL ON APCH. SINCE PHL HAD A LOW CLOUD LAYER (NOT FORECAST) THE FINAL APCH VECTORING WAS RATHER LONG (DOUBLE DOWNWIND). WE WERE HANDED OVER TO THE FINAL CTLR AND STARTED TO BE VECTORED FOR APCH. AS WE WERE TO INTERCEPT WE WERE PULLED OFF THE APCH DUE TO A DC10 WITH A NO-GYRO PROB. WE WERE VECTORED AND AGAIN TAKEN OFF THE APCH DUE TO THE SAME ACFT. AT THIS POINT WE KNEW OUR FUEL WAS BECOMING AN ISSUE AND ACARS DISPATCH TO GO TO ABE. NOW WE WERE PUT BACK ON THE APCH AND WE MADE THE MINIMUM FUEL DECLARATION. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT WITH APPROX 3300 LBS. I WRITE THIS TO BRING UP THE FACT THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAD 1273 LBS TNKR THIS CAN BE USED QUICKLY. IN OUR CASE WE WERE DSNDED AND SLOWED SO OUR FUEL BURN WAS HIGH (4000 LBS/HR); IN ADDITION TO THE LONG VECTORS. I THINK EXTRA FUEL COULD ALWAYS BE USED IN PHL OR AT LEAST AN ALTERNATE; REGARDLESS OF WX; TO PROVIDE AN EXTRA LAYER OF CUSHION AND AVOID A POSSIBLE DIVERSION OR MIN FUEL PROB.
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.