Commuter aircraft encounters poor WX, diverts. Minimum fuel situation.

Attributes
ACN	287978
Time
Date	199410
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdt
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mdt tracon : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	287978
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On schedule flight from sle to iad. Iad WX down to 800 ft RVR. Approach holds us north then south of airport, then sent us to csn. With no improvement in WX we decided to divert to mdt. On the way I told captain that we should declare min fuel. When we checked on with mdt approach ATC advised us that we were on vectors for the approach. I again asked the captain to declare min fuel. The captain told ATC who asked if he had a 'min fuel emergency.' captain replied no and controller and captain conversed about whether or not we needed priority. After captain advised him we did not have an emergency but could not take any delays ATC advised us that we would be #6 for the airport. This would not be acceptable, ATC offered a visual approach. While the captain definitely should have declared an emergency, if a pilot minimum fuel, it seems unacceptable to tell the pilot he will then be #6 for the approach, luckily, we were asked to conduct a marginal visual, but we landed with around 200 pounds of fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT ENCOUNTERS POOR WX, DIVERTS. MINIMUM FUEL SIT.

Narrative: ON SCHEDULE FLT FROM SLE TO IAD. IAD WX DOWN TO 800 FT RVR. APCH HOLDS US N THEN S OF ARPT, THEN SENT US TO CSN. WITH NO IMPROVEMENT IN WX WE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO MDT. ON THE WAY I TOLD CAPT THAT WE SHOULD DECLARE MIN FUEL. WHEN WE CHKED ON WITH MDT APCH ATC ADVISED US THAT WE WERE ON VECTORS FOR THE APCH. I AGAIN ASKED THE CAPT TO DECLARE MIN FUEL. THE CAPT TOLD ATC WHO ASKED IF HE HAD A 'MIN FUEL EMER.' CAPT REPLIED NO AND CTLR AND CAPT CONVERSED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE NEEDED PRIORITY. AFTER CAPT ADVISED HIM WE DID NOT HAVE AN EMER BUT COULD NOT TAKE ANY DELAYS ATC ADVISED US THAT WE WOULD BE #6 FOR THE ARPT. THIS WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE, ATC OFFERED A VISUAL APCH. WHILE THE CAPT DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER, IF A PLT MINIMUM FUEL, IT SEEMS UNACCEPTABLE TO TELL THE PLT HE WILL THEN BE #6 FOR THE APCH, LUCKILY, WE WERE ASKED TO CONDUCT A MARGINAL VISUAL, BUT WE LANDED WITH AROUND 200 LBS OF FUEL.

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.