Narrative:

Our flight was computer planned bos-den at 35000' with approximately 80 KTS (average) headwind for the whole distance. Flight planned time was 4 hours, 43 mins. Our fuel over destination would be 7300 pounds with 3900 pounds being reserve and 3400 pounds for holding/contingency fuel. On climb out passing 28000' MSL I noticed our onboard wind readout was 88 KTS headwind. I also noticed a wind forcast we had with us that showed no real advantage (in wind speed) by staying at a lower altitude. After an hour of flight we still had headwinds of 110-140 KTS and were behind flight plan by 500 pounds but the wind was supposed to be higher at the beginning of the trip. After two hours the winds were still stronger than forecast and we were now down 1500 pounds and 10 mins. We checked denver WX, reported the headwind problem to the company, and gave a new estimate for denver. For the next hour we tried unsuccessfully to have center get an aircraft at a lower altitude to give us their winds. After 3 hours we calculated our fuel at landing would be 4400 pounds and 25 mins late. The winds never were below 100 KTS on the nose until we started our descent. We landed with 4400 pounds about 25 mins late. Although we only asked for expeditious handling and no holding please (we no longer had any holding or delay fuel) denver approach control declared an emergency for us and we landed uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC DECLARES EMERGENCY FOR ACR MLG THAT REQUEST PRIORITY HANDLING DUE TO REDUCED FUEL.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS COMPUTER PLANNED BOS-DEN AT 35000' WITH APPROX 80 KTS (AVERAGE) HEADWIND FOR THE WHOLE DISTANCE. FLT PLANNED TIME WAS 4 HRS, 43 MINS. OUR FUEL OVER DEST WOULD BE 7300 LBS WITH 3900 LBS BEING RESERVE AND 3400 LBS FOR HOLDING/CONTINGENCY FUEL. ON CLBOUT PASSING 28000' MSL I NOTICED OUR ONBOARD WIND READOUT WAS 88 KTS HEADWIND. I ALSO NOTICED A WIND FORCAST WE HAD WITH US THAT SHOWED NO REAL ADVANTAGE (IN WIND SPD) BY STAYING AT A LOWER ALT. AFTER AN HR OF FLT WE STILL HAD HEADWINDS OF 110-140 KTS AND WERE BEHIND FLT PLAN BY 500 LBS BUT THE WIND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HIGHER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP. AFTER TWO HRS THE WINDS WERE STILL STRONGER THAN FORECAST AND WE WERE NOW DOWN 1500 LBS AND 10 MINS. WE CHKED DENVER WX, RPTED THE HEADWIND PROB TO THE COMPANY, AND GAVE A NEW ESTIMATE FOR DENVER. FOR THE NEXT HR WE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO HAVE CTR GET AN ACFT AT A LOWER ALT TO GIVE US THEIR WINDS. AFTER 3 HRS WE CALCULATED OUR FUEL AT LNDG WOULD BE 4400 LBS AND 25 MINS LATE. THE WINDS NEVER WERE BELOW 100 KTS ON THE NOSE UNTIL WE STARTED OUR DSNT. WE LANDED WITH 4400 LBS ABOUT 25 MINS LATE. ALTHOUGH WE ONLY ASKED FOR EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING AND NO HOLDING PLEASE (WE NO LONGER HAD ANY HOLDING OR DELAY FUEL) DENVER APCH CTL DECLARED AN EMER FOR US AND WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY.

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.