X declared emergency due to low fuel and requested priority for landing.

Attributes
ACN	264254
Time
Date	199402
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sdf
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	264254
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

X departed on a trip from yip to phl to sdf. Ended up in sdf with only 45 mins of fuel. Upon contacting approach, we were told we were going to be #12 for the airport and would be vectored for a 30 mi final for the runway. I then informed him we were going to be very close on our fuel and requested to land runway 29 instead of 19. My request was denied. I was told that we could not hold short of the intersection, there is 3300 ft of runway available. I told them all I needed was 800 ft and still denied. The controller asked me if I was declaring an emergency. I replied no. Controller vectored us to a heading of 210 degrees away from the airport for about 10 NM then back to a 350 degree heading. I asked how far north to expect. He said another 25 to 30 mi north of the airport. Approach control said that he informed the final controller of our situation but final controller did nothing, just that it would be a 25 mi final. 8 mi north and with 35 mins of fuel on the plane, I asked for priority for landing. I then called and talked to the supervisor on duty. He asked why I did what I did. I informed him that I arrived with legal reserves, and that in being denied runway 29 and all the vectoring that I was expected to take after I had informed them of my situation, I had no other choice to make other than taking a priority landing. He said he would have to file a report to the enforcement office of the FAA and that he could not say if there would be a violation out of it. I told him to do what he needed to do.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: X DECLARED EMER DUE TO LOW FUEL AND REQUESTED PRIORITY FOR LNDG.

Narrative: X DEPARTED ON A TRIP FROM YIP TO PHL TO SDF. ENDED UP IN SDF WITH ONLY 45 MINS OF FUEL. UPON CONTACTING APCH, WE WERE TOLD WE WERE GOING TO BE #12 FOR THE ARPT AND WOULD BE VECTORED FOR A 30 MI FINAL FOR THE RWY. I THEN INFORMED HIM WE WERE GOING TO BE VERY CLOSE ON OUR FUEL AND REQUESTED TO LAND RWY 29 INSTEAD OF 19. MY REQUEST WAS DENIED. I WAS TOLD THAT WE COULD NOT HOLD SHORT OF THE INTXN, THERE IS 3300 FT OF RWY AVAILABLE. I TOLD THEM ALL I NEEDED WAS 800 FT AND STILL DENIED. THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I REPLIED NO. CTLR VECTORED US TO A HDG OF 210 DEGS AWAY FROM THE ARPT FOR ABOUT 10 NM THEN BACK TO A 350 DEG HDG. I ASKED HOW FAR N TO EXPECT. HE SAID ANOTHER 25 TO 30 MI N OF THE ARPT. APCH CTL SAID THAT HE INFORMED THE FINAL CTLR OF OUR SIT BUT FINAL CTLR DID NOTHING, JUST THAT IT WOULD BE A 25 MI FINAL. 8 MI N AND WITH 35 MINS OF FUEL ON THE PLANE, I ASKED FOR PRIORITY FOR LNDG. I THEN CALLED AND TALKED TO THE SUPVR ON DUTY. HE ASKED WHY I DID WHAT I DID. I INFORMED HIM THAT I ARRIVED WITH LEGAL RESERVES, AND THAT IN BEING DENIED RWY 29 AND ALL THE VECTORING THAT I WAS EXPECTED TO TAKE AFTER I HAD INFORMED THEM OF MY SIT, I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE TO MAKE OTHER THAN TAKING A PRIORITY LNDG. HE SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO FILE A RPT TO THE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE OF THE FAA AND THAT HE COULD NOT SAY IF THERE WOULD BE A VIOLATION OUT OF IT. I TOLD HIM TO DO WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO.

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.