What happened
On 8 October 2006, a Boeing 747-443, registration G-VROM, was completing a transatlantic flight toward London (Gatwick) Airport. During the descent, air traffic control instructed the crew to enter a holding pattern at 'Goodwood' due to a predicted 10-minute delay before the approach could commence. This delay was expected because of adverse weather and a tailwind that was lower than previously forecasted during the cruise phase.
As the crew evaluated their fuel situation, they determined that accepting the hold would likely result in the aircraft landing with fuel levels approaching the Final Reserve threshold. Given the high volume of traffic at Gatwick and the potential for further delays, the commander elected to declare a 'May andday' emergency to secure priority for the approach. The aircraft subsequently landed at Gatwick without further incident, with 7 tonnes of fuel remaining.
The investigation
Investigators examined the fuel management and the decision-making process regarding the emergency declaration. The aircraft's Company Minimum Reserve (CMR) was 7.4 tonnes, which included a Final Reserve Fuel of 3.9 tonnes. The crew's calculations indicated that if the hold were accepted, the landing fuel would be dangerously close to the Final Reserve limit. The commander also considered a diversion to London (Heathrow) but determined that the high traffic density at that airport would likely result in similar delays.
Findings
- The primary cause of the fuel concern was unexpectedly low tailwinds during the cruise, which altered the arrival fuel calculations.
- The commander's decision to declare an emergency was driven by the need to avoid landing with fuel levels near the Final Reserve limit.
- While the 'Mayday' declaration successfully secured priority for the approach, the investigation noted that under UK air traffic control procedures, a 'Pan-Pan' call would have been the more appropriate terminology for the situation, as the term 'Fuel Emergency' is not formally recognized by UK ATC.