Narrative:

Approaching pwm ATIS indicated visibility of 1/2 mi with RVR of 3000'. Advised pwm approach control that high minimums captain aboard requiring 1 mi visibility or RVR of 5000'. ATC directed us to hold at sappe intersection. Fuel was 10500# when entering the hold at 4000' MSL. Visibility and RVR at pwm was variable during the hold and improved to 4000' RVR, then dropped back to 2800' RVR. Other aircraft were making successful approachs to runway 29 at pwm. The situation was discussed with my company dispatcher and we agreed that bos would be the best alternate should visibility at pwm not improve. Pwm approach control was advised to have a clearance to bos available should that be necessary. Visibility and RVR did not improve to high minimum values, so clearance to bos requested. We departed the sappe intersection with 8800# indicated fuel and climbed to 12000'. We were advised by company dispatcher of minimal delays at bos (10 mins average). Approaching scupp intersection (bos VOR 082 degree right 37D) ZBW issued holding instructions at scupp with an efc of XX34Z (35 mins of holding). ZBW was advised that we did not have sufficient fuel to hold that long. ZBW reduced efc time to XX24Z. Company dispatcher was advised of situation and would also contact zbe to inform them of fuel situation and try to have holding time reduced further. At XX19Z while holding at scupp intersection at 11000' MSL, ZBW was asked when we could expect an approach clearance as bos WX was beginning to deteriorate. ZBW stated that we would be given extensive vectoring as runway 33L (runway in use) at bos was going to be closed for icing treatment. This would have us landing with minimum fuel (below 4000#). Bos visibility deteriorated to 1/2 mi visibility with RVR of 3500' due to light snow and fog. I declared an emergency for fuel and approach minimums (below my high minimums). ZBW then cleared us to bos and turned us over to bos approach control. Approach control cleared us for an ILS to runway 33L. An uneventful landing was made. We blocked with 5100 pounds of fuel. Once a fuel advisory given to ATC then handling should be given some higher priority west/O requiring crews to declare an emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DECLARED AN EMERGENCY DUE LOW FUEL REMAINING AND WX BELOW CAPT'S OVERRIDE MINIMUMS.

Narrative: APCHING PWM ATIS INDICATED VISIBILITY OF 1/2 MI WITH RVR OF 3000'. ADVISED PWM APCH CTL THAT HIGH MINIMUMS CAPT ABOARD REQUIRING 1 MI VISIBILITY OR RVR OF 5000'. ATC DIRECTED US TO HOLD AT SAPPE INTXN. FUEL WAS 10500# WHEN ENTERING THE HOLD AT 4000' MSL. VISIBILITY AND RVR AT PWM WAS VARIABLE DURING THE HOLD AND IMPROVED TO 4000' RVR, THEN DROPPED BACK TO 2800' RVR. OTHER ACFT WERE MAKING SUCCESSFUL APCHS TO RWY 29 AT PWM. THE SITUATION WAS DISCUSSED WITH MY COMPANY DISPATCHER AND WE AGREED THAT BOS WOULD BE THE BEST ALTERNATE SHOULD VISIBILITY AT PWM NOT IMPROVE. PWM APCH CTL WAS ADVISED TO HAVE A CLRNC TO BOS AVAILABLE SHOULD THAT BE NECESSARY. VISIBILITY AND RVR DID NOT IMPROVE TO HIGH MINIMUM VALUES, SO CLRNC TO BOS REQUESTED. WE DEPARTED THE SAPPE INTXN WITH 8800# INDICATED FUEL AND CLBED TO 12000'. WE WERE ADVISED BY COMPANY DISPATCHER OF MINIMAL DELAYS AT BOS (10 MINS AVERAGE). APCHING SCUPP INTXN (BOS VOR 082 DEG R 37D) ZBW ISSUED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT SCUPP WITH AN EFC OF XX34Z (35 MINS OF HOLDING). ZBW WAS ADVISED THAT WE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL TO HOLD THAT LONG. ZBW REDUCED EFC TIME TO XX24Z. COMPANY DISPATCHER WAS ADVISED OF SITUATION AND WOULD ALSO CONTACT ZBE TO INFORM THEM OF FUEL SITUATION AND TRY TO HAVE HOLDING TIME REDUCED FURTHER. AT XX19Z WHILE HOLDING AT SCUPP INTXN AT 11000' MSL, ZBW WAS ASKED WHEN WE COULD EXPECT AN APCH CLRNC AS BOS WX WAS BEGINNING TO DETERIORATE. ZBW STATED THAT WE WOULD BE GIVEN EXTENSIVE VECTORING AS RWY 33L (RWY IN USE) AT BOS WAS GOING TO BE CLOSED FOR ICING TREATMENT. THIS WOULD HAVE US LNDG WITH MINIMUM FUEL (BELOW 4000#). BOS VISIBILITY DETERIORATED TO 1/2 MI VISIBILITY WITH RVR OF 3500' DUE TO LIGHT SNOW AND FOG. I DECLARED AN EMER FOR FUEL AND APCH MINIMUMS (BELOW MY HIGH MINIMUMS). ZBW THEN CLRED US TO BOS AND TURNED US OVER TO BOS APCH CTL. APCH CTL CLRED US FOR AN ILS TO RWY 33L. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE. WE BLOCKED WITH 5100 LBS OF FUEL. ONCE A FUEL ADVISORY GIVEN TO ATC THEN HANDLING SHOULD BE GIVEN SOME HIGHER PRIORITY W/O REQUIRING CREWS TO DECLARE AN EMER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.