Narrative:

We departed en route to anc. This is a very long flight and always subject to diversion. The procedures for our anc flight were to land in edmonton; canada; if we need more gas since there were no more good landing facilities for the next few hours until anc. We noticed that our fuel was not looking good around south dakota. When the decision to divert for gas was made; we immediately descended from FL360 or FL380 to 16000 ft. We were aware that although we were diverting for fuel; we were going to be overweight for landing. We spent the next 45 mins down low to burn as much gas as possible; even starting the APU. We decided to land overweight because it was going to be another 30 mins of burning gas before we could land. Our planes land overweight often enough that the company has an overweight landing inspection that only takes a few mins to accomplish. The captain decided it would be quicker to land and get the inspection done rather than to fly around for another 30-45 mins. The decision was made to land overweight to save time; not fuel. While I think we were in the right; the captain was concerned and wanted us to fill out a report. It is unfortunate that the company put us in this situation stretching the B737-800 to and beyond its intended stage length. A fuel stop in edmonton is hard to believe since at the time you need to decide to divert; there is no way to be below landing weight. Unfortunately; this is the last place to stop before over 1000 mi of unsuitable landing spots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 ENROUTE TO ANC NEEDS TO MAKE FUEL STOP AT CYEG AS PLANNED BY AIRLINE IN THE EVENT OF HIGHER THAN PLANNED FUEL BURN. DISCOVER THAT ACFT IS WELL ABOVE MAX LNDG WEIGHT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED ENRTE TO ANC. THIS IS A VERY LONG FLT AND ALWAYS SUBJECT TO DIVERSION. THE PROCS FOR OUR ANC FLT WERE TO LAND IN EDMONTON; CANADA; IF WE NEED MORE GAS SINCE THERE WERE NO MORE GOOD LNDG FACILITIES FOR THE NEXT FEW HRS UNTIL ANC. WE NOTICED THAT OUR FUEL WAS NOT LOOKING GOOD AROUND SOUTH DAKOTA. WHEN THE DECISION TO DIVERT FOR GAS WAS MADE; WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED FROM FL360 OR FL380 TO 16000 FT. WE WERE AWARE THAT ALTHOUGH WE WERE DIVERTING FOR FUEL; WE WERE GOING TO BE OVERWT FOR LNDG. WE SPENT THE NEXT 45 MINS DOWN LOW TO BURN AS MUCH GAS AS POSSIBLE; EVEN STARTING THE APU. WE DECIDED TO LAND OVERWT BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO BE ANOTHER 30 MINS OF BURNING GAS BEFORE WE COULD LAND. OUR PLANES LAND OVERWT OFTEN ENOUGH THAT THE COMPANY HAS AN OVERWT LNDG INSPECTION THAT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINS TO ACCOMPLISH. THE CAPT DECIDED IT WOULD BE QUICKER TO LAND AND GET THE INSPECTION DONE RATHER THAN TO FLY AROUND FOR ANOTHER 30-45 MINS. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND OVERWT TO SAVE TIME; NOT FUEL. WHILE I THINK WE WERE IN THE RIGHT; THE CAPT WAS CONCERNED AND WANTED US TO FILL OUT A RPT. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE COMPANY PUT US IN THIS SITUATION STRETCHING THE B737-800 TO AND BEYOND ITS INTENDED STAGE LENGTH. A FUEL STOP IN EDMONTON IS HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE AT THE TIME YOU NEED TO DECIDE TO DIVERT; THERE IS NO WAY TO BE BELOW LNDG WT. UNFORTUNATELY; THIS IS THE LAST PLACE TO STOP BEFORE OVER 1000 MI OF UNSUITABLE LNDG SPOTS.

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.