Date: 201205
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: BOS.Airport, MA
Flight conditions: IMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Descent
Airspace: Class B BOS
ATC / advisory: TRACON A90
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Commercial
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Workload
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure; Weather
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: This event was a minimum fuel declaration to ATC on descent into BOS. At the gate before departure; our fuel required for takeoff was 3;980; ramp fuel was 4;930; and the actual fuel on board was about 5;200 LBS. The FMS showed we were going to land at a little over 2;600 LBS. It was a no alternate/no tanker flight. Weather in BOS at the time was not predicting low ceilings until later in the evening. We were filed for the QUABN1 arrival and BOS was using ILS 4R. Once in flight we were issued holding instructions at GDM VOR and I immediately slowed to our holding speed and the Captain and I discussed what our bingo fuel would be. I can't remember our exact fuel load at that time but it was somewhere around 3;000 LBS. We decided on a bingo fuel of 2;500 LBS with BDL as an alternate; it was just about 40 miles to our right. We entered holding at XA:37Z with an EFC of XA:45Z; which was later pushed back to XA:54Z. At some point during holding we got a response back from Dispatch which; after some discussion over ACARS; we all agreed on 2;500 LBS and BDL as an alternate. We were released from holding at about XA:50Z. We had not declared min fuel at this time. The whole time we were discussing fuel and our alternate options. Once on with Boston Approach; we were given a delay vector off of the arrival. I was the pilot flying but the Captain (the pilot not flying) was off the frequency saying goodbye to the passengers; so I didn't declare minimum fuel because I wanted concurrence with the Captain. I did query Boston Approach about the vector and let him know that fuel might be an issue. Once the Captain came back we had a quick discussion about our fuel. At that time we were put back onto the arrival but it was showing we would land with approximately 1;900 LBS. We decided to declare minimum fuel at this time due to the fact that we felt we could not accept any more delay vectors. At the time we declared min fuel we had just under 2;300 LBS on board. We were given an immediate turn toward the airport; Boston Approach said we were on a left downwind for the runway to be put in front of some other aircraft (the arrival crossed over the airport with a right downwind for the runway). We were given a shortcut of about 5 or 6 aircraft and landed uneventfully with approximately 2;150 LBS. I understand that this could be construed as an unanticipated holding event and that it's not a real problem. However; we operate in the busiest airspace in the country and this is where the airports are that we do this no alt/no tanker 2;400 LBS thing. There are always going to be 'unexpected' delays into PHL; LGA; BOS; and DCA just due to the nature of the airspace. My Captain and I have learned a valuable lesson from this event. Even though the weather was supposed to be good until late that night and everything else was supposed to be go according to plan; we should have asked for additional fuel just due to the fact that we were going into BOS. I am concerned because there doesn't seem to be any room for error. Next time I'll make sure I do have room for error; and I hope others might be able to do the same without learning the hard way.




Synopsis: A CRJ200 crew was given unexpected delays on a BOS arrival and declared minimum fuel because their dispatch fuel did not include an alternate or additional fuel.