Narrative:

We were dispatched to dfw on an IFR/no alternate flight plan. Destination WX at our ETA of XA52Z was suppose to be good with widely scattered thunderstorms only forecast after XD00Z. Approaching dfw we could see a storm northeast of the field on radar. We were given holding and entered the pattern at XA22Z with 10.8 pounds of fuel remaining. Our efc time was XA55Z but we were cleared out of holding earlier. We descended and were vectored over the field expecting a 18R approach but this was changed to 36L. Cleared for approach we broke it off outside the marker due to another storm moving across the airport. Well clear of the WX I contacted the dispatcher who gave shv as our divert station. We had 6200 pounds remaining and our fuel burn was given as 4211 pounds. Since the other dfw area airports were also affected by the WX, shv seemed the best bet. However I felt we could not accept any delay and, given our fuel status, we would require traffic priority from ATC. I declared a 'fuel emergency.' on final at shv in the landing confign/attitude we had 2900 pounds showing. On the ground though this increased to show 3200 pounds of fuel remaining. This situation occurred because unexpected WX conditions shut down our destination airport just as we were arriving. By declaring a fuel emergency we were given priority handling by ATC. We needed help, we asked for it and we got it. The system worked for us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DECLARED FUEL EMER WHEN DEST WX DETERIORATES AND NO ALTERNATE FUEL IS ON BOARD.

Narrative: WE WERE DISPATCHED TO DFW ON AN IFR/NO ALTERNATE FLT PLAN. DEST WX AT OUR ETA OF XA52Z WAS SUPPOSE TO BE GOOD WITH WIDELY SCATTERED TSTMS ONLY FORECAST AFTER XD00Z. APCHING DFW WE COULD SEE A STORM NE OF THE FIELD ON RADAR. WE WERE GIVEN HOLDING AND ENTERED THE PATTERN AT XA22Z WITH 10.8 POUNDS OF FUEL REMAINING. OUR EFC TIME WAS XA55Z BUT WE WERE CLRED OUT OF HOLDING EARLIER. WE DSNDED AND WERE VECTORED OVER THE FIELD EXPECTING A 18R APCH BUT THIS WAS CHANGED TO 36L. CLRED FOR APCH WE BROKE IT OFF OUTSIDE THE MARKER DUE TO ANOTHER STORM MOVING ACROSS THE ARPT. WELL CLR OF THE WX I CONTACTED THE DISPATCHER WHO GAVE SHV AS OUR DIVERT STATION. WE HAD 6200 POUNDS REMAINING AND OUR FUEL BURN WAS GIVEN AS 4211 POUNDS. SINCE THE OTHER DFW AREA ARPTS WERE ALSO AFFECTED BY THE WX, SHV SEEMED THE BEST BET. HOWEVER I FELT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT ANY DELAY AND, GIVEN OUR FUEL STATUS, WE WOULD REQUIRE TFC PRIORITY FROM ATC. I DECLARED A 'FUEL EMER.' ON FINAL AT SHV IN THE LNDG CONFIGN/ATTITUDE WE HAD 2900 POUNDS SHOWING. ON THE GND THOUGH THIS INCREASED TO SHOW 3200 POUNDS OF FUEL REMAINING. THIS SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE UNEXPECTED WX CONDITIONS SHUT DOWN OUR DEST ARPT JUST AS WE WERE ARRIVING. BY DECLARING A FUEL EMER WE WERE GIVEN PRIORITY HANDLING BY ATC. WE NEEDED HELP, WE ASKED FOR IT AND WE GOT IT. THE SYS WORKED FOR 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.