Narrative:

I departed microphone in IMC with an INS student with the destination WX at MLS forecast approximately 1 hour ETA to be 3000' broken, 5 mi visibility. Ete 4:15. Fuel onboard 6:00 (actually 6:30). Although ont required, bil was listed as an alternate. Prior to arrival at MLS I checked WX at MLS. Reported then to be 500' overcast, 5/8 mi visibility. Upon arrival at VOR, checked with FSS at MLS and told WX 500' overcast, 5/8 mi, but 'probably better than that.' I elected to commence the NDB runway 4 approach (MDA 500', visibility 1 mi). At missed approach point declared miss approach and proceeded to alternate (bil) on arwy. Headwind slowed our progress so that instead of 3/4 hour to bil, it took 1:15. When handed off to bil approach, asked for closest runway (runway 2) and ASR approach. Told unable, but that we'd get vectors to final approach course for VOR/DME runway 27. Told controller that we had a low fuel state. Approach advised low ceiling east of field. Suggested radar vectors facility runway 9L. We asked to be vectored to LOM. Controller stated we had 50 mi to go while showing only 16 DME to field, so I assumed we were to be vectored a long way around. He asked if considered it to be an emergency, since he had an airliner ahead that he could give us priority over. I agreed to the emergency, since the extra mileage for vectoring would eat into our 45 mins reserve. We were given vectors to a downwind runway 9. We sighted the runway and were cleared for the visibility approach and landed. There would have been no problem if the winds had been as forecast or the WX at destination or altitude had been as forecast, or the controller had simply vectored us west/O forcing us to declare the emergency. We had about 20 mins of fuel remaining upon refueling at bil, but it was much closer than I prefer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA DECLARED A LOW FUEL EMERGENCY WHEN ON AN INS TRAINING FLT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED MIC IN IMC WITH AN INS STUDENT WITH THE DEST WX AT MLS FORECAST APPROX 1 HR ETA TO BE 3000' BROKEN, 5 MI VISIBILITY. ETE 4:15. FUEL ONBOARD 6:00 (ACTUALLY 6:30). ALTHOUGH ONT REQUIRED, BIL WAS LISTED AS AN ALTERNATE. PRIOR TO ARR AT MLS I CHKED WX AT MLS. RPTED THEN TO BE 500' OVCST, 5/8 MI VISIBILITY. UPON ARR AT VOR, CHKED WITH FSS AT MLS AND TOLD WX 500' OVCST, 5/8 MI, BUT 'PROBABLY BETTER THAN THAT.' I ELECTED TO COMMENCE THE NDB RWY 4 APCH (MDA 500', VISIBILITY 1 MI). AT MISSED APCH POINT DECLARED MISS APCH AND PROCEEDED TO ALTERNATE (BIL) ON ARWY. HEADWIND SLOWED OUR PROGRESS SO THAT INSTEAD OF 3/4 HR TO BIL, IT TOOK 1:15. WHEN HANDED OFF TO BIL APCH, ASKED FOR CLOSEST RWY (RWY 2) AND ASR APCH. TOLD UNABLE, BUT THAT WE'D GET VECTORS TO FINAL APCH COURSE FOR VOR/DME RWY 27. TOLD CTLR THAT WE HAD A LOW FUEL STATE. APCH ADVISED LOW CEILING E OF FIELD. SUGGESTED RADAR VECTORS FAC RWY 9L. WE ASKED TO BE VECTORED TO LOM. CTLR STATED WE HAD 50 MI TO GO WHILE SHOWING ONLY 16 DME TO FIELD, SO I ASSUMED WE WERE TO BE VECTORED A LONG WAY AROUND. HE ASKED IF CONSIDERED IT TO BE AN EMER, SINCE HE HAD AN AIRLINER AHEAD THAT HE COULD GIVE US PRIORITY OVER. I AGREED TO THE EMER, SINCE THE EXTRA MILEAGE FOR VECTORING WOULD EAT INTO OUR 45 MINS RESERVE. WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS TO A DOWNWIND RWY 9. WE SIGHTED THE RWY AND WERE CLRED FOR THE VIS APCH AND LANDED. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO PROB IF THE WINDS HAD BEEN AS FORECAST OR THE WX AT DEST OR ALT HAD BEEN AS FORECAST, OR THE CTLR HAD SIMPLY VECTORED US W/O FORCING US TO DECLARE THE EMER. WE HAD ABOUT 20 MINS OF FUEL REMAINING UPON REFUELING AT BIL, BUT IT WAS MUCH CLOSER THAN I PREFER.

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.