Narrative:

WX reported to be 3000' ovc 5R. 180 degree/15 KTS-ILS 31C circle to 22L. First approach first officer flying speed was high, so was altitude, should have stopped it then but advised him several times of this problem west/O good results. Figured WX good enough in report to let him see what this continual problem would do in a below average airport. Didn't expect bad WX. Still in clouds at 2000' MSL, realized then I let him go too far even if it was to be a lesson. Broke out at 1800' MSL didn't like picture. Called for missed approach. Figured that there was plenty of fuel for new attempt, hopefully more stabilized. Tower reported rain shower over field. I told them we had about 5000 pounds of fuel and needed to know how long it would be. Due to fuel, they made me #1. Tried again with approach. This time fully configured early. Let first officer do it again. This time all looked good. Broke out at 1800' MSL visibility at 3 1/2 mi. Ok on downwind but had to descend to 1200' MSL to keep out of clouds. Turning base entered light rain. First officer lost sight of field. I looked to see what happened then I lost field. I took control of aircraft and executed missed approach. Got sight of runway on miss but elected to continue missed approach for safety. Advised ATC we needed ILS 13C immediately. Informed them fuel down to 3000 pounds. After several vectors, one away from field, declared emergency for fuel (now 2700 pounds). Briefed approach and flew it coupled. Landed with 1700 pounds. Let first officer go too far first time based on ATIS. ATIS is too slow for updates. Tower needs to be more alert to these WX changes. ATC should quit accommodating O'hare traffic in bad WX. By having mdw approachs to least desirable available. 13C should have been the approach to begin with. Actual circle approach to 22L in bad WX stupid and dangerous. More up-to-date WX needed. Decision of how far to let things go could have been better. First officer descent/approach planning poor. Loft training needs to be incorporated. Practicing approachs in simulator good. But how to plan from descent etc, should be incorporated so line operations may be easier.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG HAS TO DECLARE A FUEL EMERGENCY AFTER TWO MISSED APCHS TO MDW. WX WAS CEILING 1000 VISIBILITY 3.

Narrative: WX RPTED TO BE 3000' OVC 5R. 180 DEG/15 KTS-ILS 31C CIRCLE TO 22L. FIRST APCH F/O FLYING SPD WAS HIGH, SO WAS ALT, SHOULD HAVE STOPPED IT THEN BUT ADVISED HIM SEVERAL TIMES OF THIS PROB W/O GOOD RESULTS. FIGURED WX GOOD ENOUGH IN RPT TO LET HIM SEE WHAT THIS CONTINUAL PROB WOULD DO IN A BELOW AVERAGE ARPT. DIDN'T EXPECT BAD WX. STILL IN CLOUDS AT 2000' MSL, REALIZED THEN I LET HIM GO TOO FAR EVEN IF IT WAS TO BE A LESSON. BROKE OUT AT 1800' MSL DIDN'T LIKE PICTURE. CALLED FOR MISSED APCH. FIGURED THAT THERE WAS PLENTY OF FUEL FOR NEW ATTEMPT, HOPEFULLY MORE STABILIZED. TWR RPTED RAIN SHOWER OVER FIELD. I TOLD THEM WE HAD ABOUT 5000 LBS OF FUEL AND NEEDED TO KNOW HOW LONG IT WOULD BE. DUE TO FUEL, THEY MADE ME #1. TRIED AGAIN WITH APCH. THIS TIME FULLY CONFIGURED EARLY. LET F/O DO IT AGAIN. THIS TIME ALL LOOKED GOOD. BROKE OUT AT 1800' MSL VIS AT 3 1/2 MI. OK ON DOWNWIND BUT HAD TO DSND TO 1200' MSL TO KEEP OUT OF CLOUDS. TURNING BASE ENTERED LIGHT RAIN. F/O LOST SIGHT OF FIELD. I LOOKED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED THEN I LOST FIELD. I TOOK CTL OF ACFT AND EXECUTED MISSED APCH. GOT SIGHT OF RWY ON MISS BUT ELECTED TO CONTINUE MISSED APCH FOR SAFETY. ADVISED ATC WE NEEDED ILS 13C IMMEDIATELY. INFORMED THEM FUEL DOWN TO 3000 LBS. AFTER SEVERAL VECTORS, ONE AWAY FROM FIELD, DECLARED EMER FOR FUEL (NOW 2700 LBS). BRIEFED APCH AND FLEW IT COUPLED. LANDED WITH 1700 LBS. LET F/O GO TOO FAR FIRST TIME BASED ON ATIS. ATIS IS TOO SLOW FOR UPDATES. TWR NEEDS TO BE MORE ALERT TO THESE WX CHANGES. ATC SHOULD QUIT ACCOMMODATING O'HARE TFC IN BAD WX. BY HAVING MDW APCHS TO LEAST DESIRABLE AVAILABLE. 13C SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE APCH TO BEGIN WITH. ACTUAL CIRCLE APCH TO 22L IN BAD WX STUPID AND DANGEROUS. MORE UP-TO-DATE WX NEEDED. DECISION OF HOW FAR TO LET THINGS GO COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. F/O DSNT/APCH PLANNING POOR. LOFT TRNING NEEDS TO BE INCORPORATED. PRACTICING APCHS IN SIMULATOR GOOD. BUT HOW TO PLAN FROM DSNT ETC, SHOULD BE INCORPORATED SO LINE OPS MAY BE EASIER.

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.