Reporter declares min fuel emergency after approach and go around.

Attributes
ACN	201618
Time
Date	199202
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ewr tower : ewr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	201618
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Approach control cleared us for an ILS 4L at ewr, and instructed us to maintain 180 KTS to the OM. We had traffic ahead of us on the approach, but as it was night, we couldn't judge it's distance very well. At the OM, we switched over to ewr tower, and he told us to slow down to our final approach speed, which we did. The aircraft ahead of us was still on the runway when tower gave us a go around, which we did. Settling down again at 4000 ft with departure control, he was giving us vectors away from the airport. Our fuel was at 4800 pounds, with 4000 pounds being our 45 min reserve. I requested minimal vectoring as our fuel supply might become a factor. Departure control said he was vectoring us to fall in behind '10-11' other aircraft. I said how long was that in mins. He said it would be '15- 20' mins unless I declared an emergency. I declared an emergency. We received vectors back for an immediate landing, landed uneventfully, and blocked into the gate with 3900 pounds. The cause of all this was ewr's policy of spacing arrs closer than 3 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR DECLARES MIN FUEL EMER AFTER APCH AND GAR.

Narrative: APCH CTL CLRED US FOR AN ILS 4L AT EWR, AND INSTRUCTED US TO MAINTAIN 180 KTS TO THE OM. WE HAD TFC AHEAD OF US ON THE APCH, BUT AS IT WAS NIGHT, WE COULDN'T JUDGE IT'S DISTANCE VERY WELL. AT THE OM, WE SWITCHED OVER TO EWR TWR, AND HE TOLD US TO SLOW DOWN TO OUR FINAL APCH SPD, WHICH WE DID. THE ACFT AHEAD OF US WAS STILL ON THE RWY WHEN TWR GAVE US A GAR, WHICH WE DID. SETTLING DOWN AGAIN AT 4000 FT WITH DEP CTL, HE WAS GIVING US VECTORS AWAY FROM THE ARPT. OUR FUEL WAS AT 4800 LBS, WITH 4000 LBS BEING OUR 45 MIN RESERVE. I REQUESTED MINIMAL VECTORING AS OUR FUEL SUPPLY MIGHT BECOME A FACTOR. DEP CTL SAID HE WAS VECTORING US TO FALL IN BEHIND '10-11' OTHER ACFT. I SAID HOW LONG WAS THAT IN MINS. HE SAID IT WOULD BE '15- 20' MINS UNLESS I DECLARED AN EMER. I DECLARED AN EMER. WE RECEIVED VECTORS BACK FOR AN IMMEDIATE LNDG, LANDED UNEVENTFULLY, AND BLOCKED INTO THE GATE WITH 3900 LBS. THE CAUSE OF ALL THIS WAS EWR'S POLICY OF SPACING ARRS CLOSER THAN 3 MI.

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.