PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Jet goes down on its way to Medellin, Colombia
Old 1st Dec 2016, 10:11
  #278 (permalink)  
4468
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
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At the en-route diversion point the airline owner/pilot/captain decided there was sufficient fuel to continue to destination saving an en-route landing, however 'Murphy's Law' popped up with the Airbus fuel emergency at destination and an unplanned hold occurred using up those vital few kg's of fuel.
Mmmmmm.

Final Reserve is used to combat 'Murphy's Law'. It's 30 minutes of fuel. No pilot in their right mind would PLAN to eat into it, when overflying an en-route fuel diversion, simply to reach their destination! A MAYDAY call was required as soon as it became apparent the aircraft would LAND with less than 30 minutes of fuel in it's tanks!

After all the other preceding HF/planning/cultural issues. That simple, single act would highly likely have saved many lives here.
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