A CPR LTT PLT ALMOST LANDED WITH DRY TANKS.

Narrative

FLT PLAN TO LAND WITH 1200 LBS FUEL. ON THE LAST 200 MI OBSERVED ON RADAR A LINE OF TSTMS THAT WENT FROM S MKC TO CENTRAL MISSOURI; APPROX 20 MI WIDE. THE HEAVIEST PART BEING TOWARDS CENTRAL MISSOURI. WE DECIDED TO DELAY OUR DSCNT AND GO OVER THE TOP; AND THEN COME DOWN WITH OUR SPOILERS OUT AND A QUICK DSCNT FOR THE LAST 50 MI. WE HIT MODERATE TURB IN THE DSCNT. THE CTR STOPPED US AT 23000 AND SAID HE HAD TFC AND COULD NOT GET US DOWN FOR 30 MI. ANOTHER CTLR GOT US DOWN TO 16000 AND TOLD US HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO GET US DOWN. A CTLR ASKED IF WE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER. WE TOLD HIM NO; BUT THAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO HELP US. ANOTHER CTLR TOLD US THAT MKC WENT TO 3/8 MI VISIBILITY. I TOLD HIM WE NEEDED TO GET TO AN ARPT (MCI). APCH CTL AT MCI CAME ON AND GAVE US PRIORITY SVC FOR AN ILS 1L APCH. HE ASKED HOW MUCH FUEL AND PEOPLE WE HAD ON BOARD; WHICH WAS 20 MINS AND 4 PEOPLE. OUR WIND SCREENS WERE FOGGING AND HE GAVE US THE FREQ AND COURSE INBOUND FOR THE APCH. AFTER LNDG WE HAD 700 LBS OF FUEL. WE SHOULD HAVE STOPPED SHORT AND REFUELED INSTEAD OF FLYING INTO A TSTM AREA WITH MINIMUM FUEL AND EXPECTING TO GET RIGHT IN.