Narrative:

The forecast for jfk included a chance of afternoon thunderstorms. The IFR min fuel was 3800 pounds. I requested and received just over that prior to departing buf. The flight was routine until we were given holding instructions at pwl with about a 20 min hold expected. The aircraft was slowed and we held for about 15-18 mins. We decided we would accept no further holds based on fuel remaining. We departed pwl toward apt and had to deviate for WX. We requested to deviate right of course (southwest toward jfk) but ATC gave us left of course (southeast away from jfk). This of course added time and distance to our arrival to jfk. The remainder of the initial approach was routine with vectors for the 22R ILS. There were moderate to heavy rainshowers on the final so we flew through the localizer and asked for a left turn to the final later for WX avoidance. We apparently got too close to the lga-jfk buffer zone and were given a right 270 degree turn to rejoin the final for 22R. As we executed the turn another voice vectored us out of the pattern to start the approach again. At this point I refused the latest vector and joined the final for 22R. We asked for priority handling, considering our fuel situation. As we were in the turn I looked at the fuel indicators and saw just over 1400 pounds. We were asked if we were declaring a 'low fuel emergency' to which we replied 'negative' but I was not willing to turn away from the airport to start all over. The remainder of the approach and landing were routine. Actual fuel burn at shutdown was 2524 pounds with just over 1500 pounds remaining. The reason for the quantity readings during the approach is that the system reads low in a nose high attitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MDT CREW REFUSES A VECTOR OUT OF THE APCH PATH BECAUSE OF PERCEIVED LOW FUEL.

Narrative: THE FORECAST FOR JFK INCLUDED A CHANCE OF AFTERNOON TSTMS. THE IFR MIN FUEL WAS 3800 POUNDS. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED JUST OVER THAT PRIOR TO DEPARTING BUF. THE FLT WAS ROUTINE UNTIL WE WERE GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT PWL WITH ABOUT A 20 MIN HOLD EXPECTED. THE ACFT WAS SLOWED AND WE HELD FOR ABOUT 15-18 MINS. WE DECIDED WE WOULD ACCEPT NO FURTHER HOLDS BASED ON FUEL REMAINING. WE DEPARTED PWL TOWARD APT AND HAD TO DEVIATE FOR WX. WE REQUESTED TO DEVIATE R OF COURSE (SW TOWARD JFK) BUT ATC GAVE US L OF COURSE (SE AWAY FROM JFK). THIS OF COURSE ADDED TIME AND DISTANCE TO OUR ARR TO JFK. THE REMAINDER OF THE INITIAL APCH WAS ROUTINE WITH VECTORS FOR THE 22R ILS. THERE WERE MODERATE TO HVY RAINSHOWERS ON THE FINAL SO WE FLEW THROUGH THE LOC AND ASKED FOR A L TURN TO THE FINAL LATER FOR WX AVOIDANCE. WE APPARENTLY GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE LGA-JFK BUFFER ZONE AND WERE GIVEN A R 270 DEG TURN TO REJOIN THE FINAL FOR 22R. AS WE EXECUTED THE TURN ANOTHER VOICE VECTORED US OUT OF THE PATTERN TO START THE APCH AGAIN. AT THIS POINT I REFUSED THE LATEST VECTOR AND JOINED THE FINAL FOR 22R. WE ASKED FOR PRIORITY HANDLING, CONSIDERING OUR FUEL SITUATION. AS WE WERE IN THE TURN I LOOKED AT THE FUEL INDICATORS AND SAW JUST OVER 1400 POUNDS. WE WERE ASKED IF WE WERE DECLARING A 'LOW FUEL EMER' TO WHICH WE REPLIED 'NEGATIVE' BUT I WAS NOT WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM THE ARPT TO START ALL OVER. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND LNDG WERE ROUTINE. ACTUAL FUEL BURN AT SHUTDOWN WAS 2524 POUNDS WITH JUST OVER 1500 POUNDS REMAINING. THE REASON FOR THE QUANTITY READINGS DURING THE APCH IS THAT THE SYS READS LOW IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE.

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.