Fuel remaining -- flight crew told the approach control that they were at minimum fuel and the contr...

Attributes
ACN	317604
Time
Date	199510
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lvz airport : jfk
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	317604
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While inbound to jfk on this flight, I was put into holding patterns at 2 separate fixes just west, then east of wilkes- barre climbing to hoxie and jenno, the duration of these holds totaled approximately 2 hours. Naturally, fuel became a concern. Original alternate was yul. I attempted contact with dispatch via ACARS message, requesting better altitude information. None was relayed via ACARS accomplished phone patch. Alternate first changed to bwi, then later phl. Advised ATC of impending fuel state. Was released from second hold just prior to bingo fuel for phl. After being switched to jfk approach control, I declared minimum fuel 500 pounds before phl bingo, at about 12000 pounds. Was immediately asked for souls on board and fuel remaining in mins. I figured roughly 60 mins fuel, and decided to respond 50 mins to be conservative. Shortly thereafter jfk approach advised they were declaring a fuel emergency for me. I again stated that I declared only minimum fuel, advisory only. The response was that you have 50 mins fuel and about 20 mins flying ahead, we are declaring a fuel emergency for you. I decided that was fine, I'd really rather be on the ground anyway. Was given traffic priority, landed without incident. Crossed FAF with exactly phl bingo fuel. Jfk approach seems to not be familiar with minimum fuel concept. In addition, dfw dispatch was of very little help in this incident. No response via ACARS messages, no proactive assistance, little help in analyzing jfk terminal problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL REMAINING -- FLC TOLD THE APCH CTL THAT THEY WERE AT MINIMUM FUEL AND THE CTLR THEN, WISELY, DECLARED A FUEL EMER FOR THE FLC AND GAVE THEM PRIORITY HANDLING.

Narrative: WHILE INBOUND TO JFK ON THIS FLT, I WAS PUT INTO HOLDING PATTERNS AT 2 SEPARATE FIXES JUST W, THEN E OF WILKES- BARRE CLBING TO HOXIE AND JENNO, THE DURATION OF THESE HOLDS TOTALED APPROX 2 HRS. NATURALLY, FUEL BECAME A CONCERN. ORIGINAL ALTERNATE WAS YUL. I ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH DISPATCH VIA ACARS MESSAGE, REQUESTING BETTER ALT INFO. NONE WAS RELAYED VIA ACARS ACCOMPLISHED PHONE PATCH. ALTERNATE FIRST CHANGED TO BWI, THEN LATER PHL. ADVISED ATC OF IMPENDING FUEL STATE. WAS RELEASED FROM SECOND HOLD JUST PRIOR TO BINGO FUEL FOR PHL. AFTER BEING SWITCHED TO JFK APCH CTL, I DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL 500 LBS BEFORE PHL BINGO, AT ABOUT 12000 LBS. WAS IMMEDIATELY ASKED FOR SOULS ON BOARD AND FUEL REMAINING IN MINS. I FIGURED ROUGHLY 60 MINS FUEL, AND DECIDED TO RESPOND 50 MINS TO BE CONSERVATIVE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER JFK APCH ADVISED THEY WERE DECLARING A FUEL EMER FOR ME. I AGAIN STATED THAT I DECLARED ONLY MINIMUM FUEL, ADVISORY ONLY. THE RESPONSE WAS THAT YOU HAVE 50 MINS FUEL AND ABOUT 20 MINS FLYING AHEAD, WE ARE DECLARING A FUEL EMER FOR YOU. I DECIDED THAT WAS FINE, I'D REALLY RATHER BE ON THE GND ANYWAY. WAS GIVEN TFC PRIORITY, LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. CROSSED FAF WITH EXACTLY PHL BINGO FUEL. JFK APCH SEEMS TO NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH MINIMUM FUEL CONCEPT. IN ADDITION, DFW DISPATCH WAS OF VERY LITTLE HELP IN THIS INCIDENT. NO RESPONSE VIA ACARS MESSAGES, NO PROACTIVE ASSISTANCE, LITTLE HELP IN ANALYZING JFK TERMINAL PROB.

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.

Fuel remaining -- flight crew told the approach control that they were at minimum fuel and the controller then, wisely, declared a fuel emergency for the flight crew and gave them priority handling.