Large transport put into hold for 15 mins, then told it will be an hour. Declared fuel emergency and...

Attributes
ACN	281097
Time
Date	199408
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjo
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 12000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sjo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	281097
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	281021
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Arriving in sjo area we were informed by sjo approach to proceed to the VOR and to hold. We were in descent to 16000 ft. We were cleared to 12000 ft and entered holding. We were told to hold for 15 mins and when we asked for efc we were told to standby. After in hold we were told that airport was closed for bomb threat and would reopen in 1 hour. FMC showed '0' hold time available when I updated holding altitude. I informed captain of this. The captain was busy with dispatch. We then confirmed sjo was closed and prepared to divert. The captain evaluated fuel state en route WX and decided that safest course of action was to land at sjo. We declared emergency and performed uneventful landing at sjo. Supplemental information from acn 281021: request for efc got ATC to say 15 mins then changed to 1 hour after we entered holding pattern. Aircraft was now at 12000 ft with 13000 pounds of fuel. I considered options of going to alternate or holding longer. Also considered aircraft position, over perfectly good airport, and WX at sjo. Then I considered the thunderstorms and other WX conditions en route to any other alternate. I decided that the safest course of action would be to declare a fuel emergency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT PUT INTO HOLD FOR 15 MINS, THEN TOLD IT WILL BE AN HR. DECLARED FUEL EMER AND LANDED.

Narrative: ARRIVING IN SJO AREA WE WERE INFORMED BY SJO APCH TO PROCEED TO THE VOR AND TO HOLD. WE WERE IN DSCNT TO 16000 FT. WE WERE CLRED TO 12000 FT AND ENTERED HOLDING. WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD FOR 15 MINS AND WHEN WE ASKED FOR EFC WE WERE TOLD TO STANDBY. AFTER IN HOLD WE WERE TOLD THAT ARPT WAS CLOSED FOR BOMB THREAT AND WOULD REOPEN IN 1 HR. FMC SHOWED '0' HOLD TIME AVAILABLE WHEN I UPDATED HOLDING ALT. I INFORMED CAPT OF THIS. THE CAPT WAS BUSY WITH DISPATCH. WE THEN CONFIRMED SJO WAS CLOSED AND PREPARED TO DIVERT. THE CAPT EVALUATED FUEL STATE ENRTE WX AND DECIDED THAT SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO LAND AT SJO. WE DECLARED EMER AND PERFORMED UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT SJO. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 281021: REQUEST FOR EFC GOT ATC TO SAY 15 MINS THEN CHANGED TO 1 HR AFTER WE ENTERED HOLDING PATTERN. ACFT WAS NOW AT 12000 FT WITH 13000 LBS OF FUEL. I CONSIDERED OPTIONS OF GOING TO ALTERNATE OR HOLDING LONGER. ALSO CONSIDERED ACFT POS, OVER PERFECTLY GOOD ARPT, AND WX AT SJO. THEN I CONSIDERED THE TSTMS AND OTHER WX CONDITIONS ENRTE TO ANY OTHER ALTERNATE. I DECIDED THAT THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER.

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.

Large transport put into hold for 15 mins, then told it will be an hour. Declared fuel emergency and landed.