Narrative:

Cleared for a kennebunk arrival. There were no delays at jfk. Approaching erick, we were told to hold, expect further clearance in 15 mins. 15 mins later we were told to expect further clearance in an additional 15 mins. We had 10000# of fuel, alternate fuel required for ewr was 8600 pounds. Requested immediately clearance to our alternate (ewr) and were cleared direct mad, direct pwk, direct sax, direct ewr (very roundabout). Approaching sparta (sax) we were told to turn to 320 degrees (away from the airport). Declared an emergency and received clearance direct ewr, fuel remaining 6000 pounds. We crossed the OM with 4200#. I think not enough consideration is given for lengthy vectors and possible holding at alternate when considering alternate fuel requirements. No special handling was afforded us when we told ATC we were low on fuel until we declared an emergency. Several good alternate airports were passed by (iscia, bradley, stewart) that could have relieved some of the pressure. Unfortunately I think the company's desire to use ewr as an alternate influenced me too much, although I would not have hesitated if the situation got any worse. Minimum fuel inbound at the OM for my aircraft is 3000#. Supplemental information from acn 161006: we asked for a more direct route, but ATC informed us that this would interfere with lga traffic. I believe that an efc followed by another efc can tempt a crew to hold a little longer than necessary in their attempt to reach their original destination. On our way to ewr, we passed within 25 NM of bdl and 10 NM from swf. When I recommended landing at the closer airports, the captain reacted by saying that the company wanted the aircraft at ewr. Just prior to our declaring an emergency, I notified the captain that no emergency existed if we would land at swf. Again, he stated his desire to land at ewr and directed me to declare the emergency. I recommend that the company emphasize use of other suitable alternates. I would also recommend that the captain make use of his crew members and their inputs prior to making a decision. Prior to leaving erick, I recommended consideration of isp as an alternate, but this recommendation fell on deaf ears. I do not believe that another high density airport should be used as an alternate to a high density airport, especially when other lower traffic density airports are located in the same area. Many aircraft were diverted from track because of us.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB DIVERTS DUE TO DELAYS, SUBSEQUENTLY DECLARES A FUEL EMERGENCY DUE ROUNDABOUT ROUTING CUTTING INTO FUEL RESERVES.

Narrative: CLRED FOR A KENNEBUNK ARR. THERE WERE NO DELAYS AT JFK. APCHING ERICK, WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD, EXPECT FURTHER CLRNC IN 15 MINS. 15 MINS LATER WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT FURTHER CLRNC IN AN ADDITIONAL 15 MINS. WE HAD 10000# OF FUEL, ALTERNATE FUEL REQUIRED FOR EWR WAS 8600 LBS. REQUESTED IMMEDIATELY CLRNC TO OUR ALTERNATE (EWR) AND WERE CLRED DIRECT MAD, DIRECT PWK, DIRECT SAX, DIRECT EWR (VERY ROUNDABOUT). APCHING SPARTA (SAX) WE WERE TOLD TO TURN TO 320 DEGS (AWAY FROM THE ARPT). DECLARED AN EMER AND RECEIVED CLRNC DIRECT EWR, FUEL REMAINING 6000 LBS. WE CROSSED THE OM WITH 4200#. I THINK NOT ENOUGH CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN FOR LENGTHY VECTORS AND POSSIBLE HOLDING AT ALTERNATE WHEN CONSIDERING ALTERNATE FUEL REQUIREMENTS. NO SPECIAL HANDLING WAS AFFORDED US WHEN WE TOLD ATC WE WERE LOW ON FUEL UNTIL WE DECLARED AN EMER. SEVERAL GOOD ALTERNATE ARPTS WERE PASSED BY (ISCIA, BRADLEY, STEWART) THAT COULD HAVE RELIEVED SOME OF THE PRESSURE. UNFORTUNATELY I THINK THE COMPANY'S DESIRE TO USE EWR AS AN ALTERNATE INFLUENCED ME TOO MUCH, ALTHOUGH I WOULD NOT HAVE HESITATED IF THE SITUATION GOT ANY WORSE. MINIMUM FUEL INBND AT THE OM FOR MY ACFT IS 3000#. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 161006: WE ASKED FOR A MORE DIRECT RTE, BUT ATC INFORMED US THAT THIS WOULD INTERFERE WITH LGA TFC. I BELIEVE THAT AN EFC FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER EFC CAN TEMPT A CREW TO HOLD A LITTLE LONGER THAN NECESSARY IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO REACH THEIR ORIGINAL DEST. ON OUR WAY TO EWR, WE PASSED WITHIN 25 NM OF BDL AND 10 NM FROM SWF. WHEN I RECOMMENDED LNDG AT THE CLOSER ARPTS, THE CAPT REACTED BY SAYING THAT THE COMPANY WANTED THE ACFT AT EWR. JUST PRIOR TO OUR DECLARING AN EMER, I NOTIFIED THE CAPT THAT NO EMER EXISTED IF WE WOULD LAND AT SWF. AGAIN, HE STATED HIS DESIRE TO LAND AT EWR AND DIRECTED ME TO DECLARE THE EMER. I RECOMMEND THAT THE COMPANY EMPHASIZE USE OF OTHER SUITABLE ALTERNATES. I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THE CAPT MAKE USE OF HIS CREW MEMBERS AND THEIR INPUTS PRIOR TO MAKING A DECISION. PRIOR TO LEAVING ERICK, I RECOMMENDED CONSIDERATION OF ISP AS AN ALTERNATE, BUT THIS RECOMMENDATION FELL ON DEAF EARS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANOTHER HIGH DENSITY ARPT SHOULD BE USED AS AN ALTERNATE TO A HIGH DENSITY ARPT, ESPECIALLY WHEN OTHER LOWER TFC DENSITY ARPTS ARE LOCATED IN THE SAME AREA. MANY ACFT WERE DIVERTED FROM TRACK BECAUSE OF US.

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.