Dash 8-100
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Declared Emergency
Human Factors; Weather; Aircraft
We departed after an hour delay on the taxiway due to weather. Our minimum fuel for departure was 2;937 LBS and we departed with 3;000 LBS. Weather at our destination was forecast to be VFR for our arrival. After checking on with Approach we were informed that the weather had suddenly dropped to 3/4 SM visibility; a completely unforecasted change in weather conditions. With no approaches available to us; and no alternate on the release; I attempted to contact Dispatch on the satphone; but was unable to get a connection. Because we were low on fuel and unable to get help from the company; I elected to declare a fuel emergency; and asked the Approach Controller for help. She directed us eastward toward better weather; and mentioned that the airport of ZZZ was about 45 NM to the east and was reporting 10 SM visibility and 6;000 FT overcast. By this time we were down to just 1;350 LBS of fuel; and so began heading in that direction.While en route I attempted once again to contact Dispatch on the satphone; and this time got through; though the connection was poor. I declared a fuel emergency and informed the Dispatcher of our current position and situation. The Dispatcher asked about the airport we were headed to; and whether it had fuel; and I replied that the Controller had informed us that its runway was 100 x 5;299 FT and it had an airline terminal served by turboprops; and an FBO that had jet fuel available. The airport was about 13 minutes away. At this point the Dispatcher said something about 700 LBS of fuel; and I thought he was describing how much we would burn to get there. He then said to call him back on the ground; and we both signed off. We continued to the airport and landed in VMC with just over 1;000 LBS of fuel remaining. After parking and calling Dispatch back; I was informed that our landing was at an airport not in our Operations Specifications had created a complicated situation. Our Dispatcher informed me that after hanging up he had tried to call us back on the satphone and also tried to contact ATC with the aim of telling us to continue on to another airport but was unable to do so.Having initially no communication with Dispatch; and no good information about weather at surrounding airports or fuel planning information to reach them; I had to fall back on ATC as a resource to resolve our emergency situation. By the time I established contact with Dispatch our critical fuel situation gave us very few options; and I elected to get the aircraft on the ground safely rather than fly further to a more convenient airport. We would not be able to depart under Part 121; so the passengers were bussed an hour to their destination; while we waited with the aircraft for the situation to be resolved to the point where we could depart under Part 91 to return the aircraft to the Company's system. The company took various steps to ensure that we could depart legally. I have experienced other situations where the satphone system had a very poor connection or would not connect at all; especially when the local weather is poor. It would have been easier to resolve the problem if it had worked better. If we had been able to communicate with Dispatch earlier it would have been possible to divert to another airport with a greater margin of fuel.
[Narrative #2 contained no additional information.]
A Dash 8 flight crew; dispatched to their destination with no alternate; encountered unforecast below minima weather and were forced to divert. When they were unable to contact Dispatch they requested assistance from ATC and were directed to a nearby airport where they landed with minimum fuel. Unfortunately the airport was not authorized in their company Operations Specifications and they were unable to refuel and take their passengers to their destination.