Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Declared Emergency
Weather; Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Company Policy
We had left the gate with Ramp fuel of 5;200 LBS. The ramp fuel on the paperwork was 5;040 LBS and take off fuel was 4;390 LBS. Our landing fuel at the time of pushback was 2;360 LBS. We taxied out on one engine to the runway. We had a maintenance issue with starting the left engine so we pulled off of the taxiway and contacted Maintenance. After solving the problem we continued to taxi to the end of the runway for departure. When we took off we had 5;100 LBS of fuel on the fuel gauges. Our landing fuel for [arrival] was 2;160 LBS. We started flying toward our destination and flying the cost index speeds and we had a 135 KT tailwind so our speeds were really slow. Halfway through our flight ATC told us that we needed to be vectored off course so they could get three Airbuses in front of us that had a ground speed of 535 KTS. So we started vectoring on headings given to us from ATC. I would say we were not [vectored for] more than 10 minutes. I then asked Center if we were going to continue vectoring off course any longer then we may run into a fuel issue later on down the road. ATC told us that we have two choices and either we can continue taking the vectors at a lower airspeed which we are flying now or get on course and have to speed up to like 290 KTS. We elected to fly at the slower airspeed knowing we had 135 KT tailwind. ATC finally put us on course. When we were coming upon the arrival our fuel was starting to get low. We talked about when we would consider declaring min fuel and my First Officer and I decided that we would declare minimum fuel at 1;800 LBS. When 1;800 LBS came up we declared minimum fuel to ATC which was [on] approach. My First Officer and I then talked about when we would have to declare an emergency with the fuel issue we where having. We decided that we would declare an emergency when our fuel was going to be 1;700 LBS or less. We where on an extended downwind for Runway 27 and we decided to land on 27R because the winds where 290 at 15 gusting to 29 KTS. We were at flaps 20 degrees on downwind and airspeed at 170 KTS. We turned base to final and because of the pitch of the aircraft at flaps 20 degrees and glideslope captured our fuel gauges where indicating 1;500 LBS of fuel on board. We decided to declare an emergency at that point on final to Runway 27. There where a lot of factors that where running through our minds at that time we decided on declaring an emergency with the fuel gauges indicating 1;500 LBS. Those thoughts where [because] I know the fuel indications are not accurate due to the pitch of the aircraft so I could have less fuel in the tanks than 1;500 LBS and there is an aircraft that is landing before us and whether they will clear the runway in time for us to land and what if we have a flap failure greater than 30 degrees and if we had to go-around for any reason. [Would] we have enough fuel to do a tight traffic pattern and come back? These thoughts that we where thinking helped us decide when we thought it would be safe to declare an emergency. We landed the aircraft safely with no injuries and we taxied into the gate with 1;400 LBS on board. One of the gauges [was] reading less than 1;500 LBS of fuel with the pitch nose down of the aircraft was correct in that sense. I do realize it is the Company's policy to have to declare an emergency at 1;000 LBS of fuel remaining. However; that makes me feel uncomfortable having fuel that low and waiting to declare an emergency that late. I believe; and my past experience is that if you feel like you need to declare an emergency do it. If you can declare it a little bit earlier than 1;000 LBS of fuel remaining ATC can have some more time to help you out and give you some options in helping you fly the aircraft and getting to the runway safely. At a low fuel situation my main concern is getting that plane on the runway as soon as possible and safely as possible and allowing a little more time for us to use all of our CRM to get ushome safely. We really need to look at this fuel issue. I have talked and heard from many pilots both new and experienced  about this fuel issue our airline has been dealing with. Believe me I love to save fuel and money and keeping our airline competitive in the industry but I think we are really bypassing our look on safety here. Many pilots are not comfortable with this fuel issue. When flight crews are scared of coming into airports with 1;350 LBS of fuel remaining or even more than 1;400 LBS that is not a good thing to be putting on our pilots shoulders. I know it works out on paperwork and graphs and computers but our main objective is not just getting passengers to their destination but to do it safely and being able to have enough fuel for ANY situation that can come up. That's what we stand for is SAFETY. Not putting the fact of saving dollars in front of safety. The pilot group is all saying nothing is going to happen to improve this until an airplane goes down because of this fuel savings that we are doing. It hurts me to hear this from everyone but that's how everyone feels. We are now unable to run a Flap Failure Checklist if flaps fail greater than 30 degrees in time with 1;700 LBS of fuel remaining. We are being told in training that at flaps failed at 45 degrees and 1;700 LBS of fuel remaining we only have 14 minutes to get the aircraft on the ground. We have seen from real situations like this that it takes a crew 20 minutes to 23 minutes to run the QRH for a flap failure. Look; we are unable to complete the QRH within 14 minutes and fly the aircraft and land it safely. We have to correct this. We have to have more fuel on board so we do not have to rush through a checklist and be able to complete it. This is a major safety issue that we needs to [be] corrected soon. We need to get back to focusing on safety and I believe we are loosing that.
A CRJ-200 received delaying vectors enroute to allow faster aircraft into the destination airport and so the crew declared an emergency with Approach Control because at 1;500 LBS any further delay could be disastrous.