Narrative:

Flight sxm-ewr. Departed sxm about 5 hours late due to late arrival and maintenance delay. Aircraft was at maximum gross takeoff (allowable) with planned fuel on arrival in ewr of 8200 pounds, no alternate required. Due aircraft being about 3000 pounds less than the flight plan weight and en route winds being 30-40 KTS different than forecast, fuel burn was 900 pounds greater than flight planned after 3 hours. About 200 mi from ny, we were given about a 45 min holding delay. We determined we could hold for about 5 mins. Prior to reaching the holding fix, we requested to divert to acy. After doing a 360 degree turn per ATC's request, we were cleared direct to acy to cross 25 mi east at 8000. During the descent, about 60 mi east of acy, we were handed off to a different ny controller. We were greeted by him saying he could get us right into ewr. We accepted clearance to ewr. We were descended to 7000 ft about 60 mi east of rbv. There were strong headwinds en route to rbv. We arrived over rbv with about 7000 pounds. Approach control immediately slowed to 210 KTS and gave us a spacing vector to the west, ewr was using 22L, 22R was closed due to lack of snow removal from the storm from mar xx. Approach told us to expect about 20-25 mins of flight time to landing with 10-20 mi spacing. We determined that this was unacceptable and declared minimum fuel. The approach controller declared an emergency for our flight due to our minimum fuel status. We were given priority handling. Landing was uneventful. We blocked in with 4520 pounds at the gate. In retrospect, we should have proceeded with our divert to acy and not listened to center as far as getting us right into ewr with no delays, or fuel-stopped in bda, or taken less passenger for more fuel. Additionally, there should be better communication between center and approach control during minimum fuel situation as pilots normally base decisions on by-the-min information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ENCOUNTERS STRONGER THAN FORECAST HEADWINDS. DECLARES MINIMUM FUEL, CTLR DECLARES EMER.

Narrative: FLT SXM-EWR. DEPARTED SXM ABOUT 5 HRS LATE DUE TO LATE ARR AND MAINT DELAY. ACFT WAS AT MAX GROSS TKOF (ALLOWABLE) WITH PLANNED FUEL ON ARR IN EWR OF 8200 LBS, NO ALTERNATE REQUIRED. DUE ACFT BEING ABOUT 3000 LBS LESS THAN THE FLT PLAN WT AND ENRTE WINDS BEING 30-40 KTS DIFFERENT THAN FORECAST, FUEL BURN WAS 900 LBS GREATER THAN FLT PLANNED AFTER 3 HRS. ABOUT 200 MI FROM NY, WE WERE GIVEN ABOUT A 45 MIN HOLDING DELAY. WE DETERMINED WE COULD HOLD FOR ABOUT 5 MINS. PRIOR TO REACHING THE HOLDING FIX, WE REQUESTED TO DIVERT TO ACY. AFTER DOING A 360 DEG TURN PER ATC'S REQUEST, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO ACY TO CROSS 25 MI E AT 8000. DURING THE DSCNT, ABOUT 60 MI E OF ACY, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO A DIFFERENT NY CTLR. WE WERE GREETED BY HIM SAYING HE COULD GET US RIGHT INTO EWR. WE ACCEPTED CLRNC TO EWR. WE WERE DSNDED TO 7000 FT ABOUT 60 MI E OF RBV. THERE WERE STRONG HEADWINDS ENRTE TO RBV. WE ARRIVED OVER RBV WITH ABOUT 7000 LBS. APCH CTL IMMEDIATELY SLOWED TO 210 KTS AND GAVE US A SPACING VECTOR TO THE W, EWR WAS USING 22L, 22R WAS CLOSED DUE TO LACK OF SNOW REMOVAL FROM THE STORM FROM MAR XX. APCH TOLD US TO EXPECT ABOUT 20-25 MINS OF FLT TIME TO LNDG WITH 10-20 MI SPACING. WE DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL. THE APCH CTLR DECLARED AN EMER FOR OUR FLT DUE TO OUR MINIMUM FUEL STATUS. WE WERE GIVEN PRIORITY HANDLING. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE BLOCKED IN WITH 4520 LBS AT THE GATE. IN RETROSPECT, WE SHOULD HAVE PROCEEDED WITH OUR DIVERT TO ACY AND NOT LISTENED TO CTR AS FAR AS GETTING US RIGHT INTO EWR WITH NO DELAYS, OR FUEL-STOPPED IN BDA, OR TAKEN LESS PAX FOR MORE FUEL. ADDITIONALLY, THERE SHOULD BE BETTER COM BTWN CTR AND APCH CTL DURING MINIMUM FUEL SIT AS PLTS NORMALLY BASE DECISIONS ON BY-THE-MIN INFO.

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.