Narrative:

As the natca facility representative, I was asked to review the tape of this incident. Management of this facility did not feel the need to pursue action in this matter other than a phone call to the pilot after he landed. In my opinion every pilot could benefit by observing this event and communicating more openly with ATC. The ANG unit in tulsa, more specifically, be briefed on this occurrence. From my review of the tape and discussion with the supervisor on duty: 2f16, diverting from tulsa to fort smith due to WX, ask center for an en route descent. 2f16 handed off to fort smith approach and switched. 2f16 on initial contact asks for lower altitude and is given 4000 ft. 2f16 is then instructed to turn right to heading 190 degrees for sequence. The pilot (currently heading direct fsm airport) advises unable to take heading 190 degrees. Upon prompting from ATC, pilot advises unable due to WX. Controller then asks if pilot can turn left to which the pilot again advises unable. Controller then advises pilot to advise when he can take the right turn. When 2f16 reached a point 5- 10 mi northwest of the airport, he advised he was turning to 190 degrees. Controller advised 2f16 that he was #2 in approach sequence behind a king air just north of the airport on a left downwind to runway 07. 2f16 then declares minimum fuel and advises approach that 'you might want to break him (the king air) out.' approach advised 2f16 to continue 190 degrees for spacing and verify minimum or emergency fuel. 2f16 advised minimum fuel -- not emergency. Moments later, 2f16 advises that if he is turned away from the airport he will be emergency fuel. The king air is now 1 mi northwest of the airport on a left base, 2f16 is 5 mi wnw on a base leg. 2f16 advises he is turning toward the runway. Approach advises negative continue 190 degrees for base leg and spacing. 2f16 declares emergency fuel and continues direct to runway. Approach frantically contacts the tower and has tower break the king air off to the north. 2f16 then passes just south of the king air at the same altitude and lands. 2f16 was actually requesting priority handling from the start but for whatever reasons, would not declare emergency fuel until the last moment. This caused a close situation to occur with the king air.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL PLT ON WX DIVERSION HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARDS ALTERNATE, REFUSED APCH CTLR TURNS BOTH L AND R ON THE EXCUSE OF 'WX' THEN DECLARES MINIMUM FUEL, AND WHEN SEQUENCED BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT DECLARES EMER FUEL TO GAIN THE PRIORITY HE NEEDED FROM THIS CTLR FOR HIS FLT OF 2.

Narrative: AS THE NATCA FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE, I WAS ASKED TO REVIEW THE TAPE OF THIS INCIDENT. MGMNT OF THIS FACILITY DID NOT FEEL THE NEED TO PURSUE ACTION IN THIS MATTER OTHER THAN A PHONE CALL TO THE PLT AFTER HE LANDED. IN MY OPINION EVERY PLT COULD BENEFIT BY OBSERVING THIS EVENT AND COMMUNICATING MORE OPENLY WITH ATC. THE ANG UNIT IN TULSA, MORE SPECIFICALLY, BE BRIEFED ON THIS OCCURRENCE. FROM MY REVIEW OF THE TAPE AND DISCUSSION WITH THE SUPVR ON DUTY: 2F16, DIVERTING FROM TULSA TO FORT SMITH DUE TO WX, ASK CTR FOR AN ENRTE DSCNT. 2F16 HANDED OFF TO FORT SMITH APCH AND SWITCHED. 2F16 ON INITIAL CONTACT ASKS FOR LOWER ALT AND IS GIVEN 4000 FT. 2F16 IS THEN INSTRUCTED TO TURN R TO HDG 190 DEGS FOR SEQUENCE. THE PLT (CURRENTLY HDG DIRECT FSM ARPT) ADVISES UNABLE TO TAKE HDG 190 DEGS. UPON PROMPTING FROM ATC, PLT ADVISES UNABLE DUE TO WX. CTLR THEN ASKS IF PLT CAN TURN L TO WHICH THE PLT AGAIN ADVISES UNABLE. CTLR THEN ADVISES PLT TO ADVISE WHEN HE CAN TAKE THE R TURN. WHEN 2F16 REACHED A POINT 5- 10 MI NW OF THE ARPT, HE ADVISED HE WAS TURNING TO 190 DEGS. CTLR ADVISED 2F16 THAT HE WAS #2 IN APCH SEQUENCE BEHIND A KING AIR JUST N OF THE ARPT ON A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 07. 2F16 THEN DECLARES MINIMUM FUEL AND ADVISES APCH THAT 'YOU MIGHT WANT TO BREAK HIM (THE KING AIR) OUT.' APCH ADVISED 2F16 TO CONTINUE 190 DEGS FOR SPACING AND VERIFY MINIMUM OR EMER FUEL. 2F16 ADVISED MINIMUM FUEL -- NOT EMER. MOMENTS LATER, 2F16 ADVISES THAT IF HE IS TURNED AWAY FROM THE ARPT HE WILL BE EMER FUEL. THE KING AIR IS NOW 1 MI NW OF THE ARPT ON A L BASE, 2F16 IS 5 MI WNW ON A BASE LEG. 2F16 ADVISES HE IS TURNING TOWARD THE RWY. APCH ADVISES NEGATIVE CONTINUE 190 DEGS FOR BASE LEG AND SPACING. 2F16 DECLARES EMER FUEL AND CONTINUES DIRECT TO RWY. APCH FRANTICALLY CONTACTS THE TWR AND HAS TWR BREAK THE KING AIR OFF TO THE N. 2F16 THEN PASSES JUST S OF THE KING AIR AT THE SAME ALT AND LANDS. 2F16 WAS ACTUALLY REQUESTING PRIORITY HANDLING FROM THE START BUT FOR WHATEVER REASONS, WOULD NOT DECLARE EMER FUEL UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT. THIS CAUSED A CLOSE SIT TO OCCUR WITH THE KING AIR.

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.