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Forced to divert for fuel by weather; air carrier captain laments the shortsightedness of his company's fuel savings policy.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 775555 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200802 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : zfp.vor |
| State Reference | FO |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 775555 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
We were en route to fll. Due to weather; we were given a reroute; by mia center; over zfp. We plugged in the reroute in to the FMC and determined we did not have sufficient fuel. We asked for a more direct route; but was denied. We conferred with the dispatcher; and agreed to divert to pbi. We landed at pbi; refueled; and continued to fll. The flight plan did not include an alternate. The alternate was selected in flight; collectively; by the flight crew and dispatch. The cause was insufficient fuel load at departure. First officer and I noticed the fuel load was less than we usually see on this route. We both agreed this was probably the new fuel saving initiative by the company management to save money. I would suggest money saving initiatives be determined flight by flight. North-south operation is very unpredictable along the east coast. I don't think this is a place where we should skimp on fuel. FYI after a lengthy discussion with the dispatcher on the ground in pbi; relaying my opinion on the reduced fuel load; and my suggestion not to compromise fuel loads in and out of florida; the next departure was the identical fuel load I had. So much for my professional input!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FORCED TO DIVERT FOR FUEL BY WEATHER; ACR CAPTAIN LAMENTS THE SHORTSIGHTEDNESS OF HIS COMPANY'S FUEL SAVINGS POLICY.
Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE TO FLL. DUE TO WEATHER; WE WERE GIVEN A REROUTE; BY MIA CENTER; OVER ZFP. WE PLUGGED IN THE REROUTE IN TO THE FMC AND DETERMINED WE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL. WE ASKED FOR A MORE DIRECT ROUTE; BUT WAS DENIED. WE CONFERRED WITH THE DISPATCHER; AND AGREED TO DIVERT TO PBI. WE LANDED AT PBI; REFUELED; AND CONTINUED TO FLL. THE FLIGHT PLAN DID NOT INCLUDE AN ALTERNATE. THE ALTERNATE WAS SELECTED IN FLIGHT; COLLECTIVELY; BY THE FLIGHT CREW AND DISPATCH. THE CAUSE WAS INSUFFICIENT FUEL LOAD AT DEPARTURE. FO AND I NOTICED THE FUEL LOAD WAS LESS THAN WE USUALLY SEE ON THIS ROUTE. WE BOTH AGREED THIS WAS PROBABLY THE NEW FUEL SAVING INITIATIVE BY THE COMPANY MANAGEMENT TO SAVE MONEY. I WOULD SUGGEST MONEY SAVING INITIATIVES BE DETERMINED FLIGHT BY FLIGHT. NORTH-SOUTH OPERATION IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE ALONG THE EAST COAST. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE SHOULD SKIMP ON FUEL. FYI AFTER A LENGTHY DISCUSSION WITH THE DISPATCHER ON THE GROUND IN PBI; RELAYING MY OPINION ON THE REDUCED FUEL LOAD; AND MY SUGGESTION NOT TO COMPROMISE FUEL LOADS IN AND OUT OF FLORIDA; THE NEXT DEPARTURE WAS THE IDENTICAL FUEL LOAD I HAD. SO MUCH FOR MY PROFESSIONAL INPUT!
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.