Narrative:

Minimum fuel landing. We departed the gate at mco with enough fuel to have 7.2 hours fuel over destination at dfw. We departed on runway 36L at mco which caused added fuel burn. Flight plan allowed for a 10 min taxi, but we actually had 20 mins. At the top of climb, we were down approximately 500 pounds. We were given a holding clearance once on the scy arrival to hold at paige intersection, expected further clearance time XA23. We arrived at paige at XA10Z with 7.1 hours fuel. After almost 3 turns in the pattern, we were given a clearance to go direct scy VOR and do the scy 7. Before refil, I told ftw ATC of our minimum fuel situation. At refil, ATC assigned us a heading of 300 degrees for the west side of dfw. I advised him I was unable due to minimum fuel and requested runway 17L. ATC said the only way I could get runway 17L was to declare an emergency. I did declare an emergency and landed on runway 17R. I landed with 45 mins of fuel on board and taxied to the gate. Note: fuel over destination at dfw must be reviewed by the flight department and dispatch. Instead of pressure on dispatchers to lower fuel over destination at dfw, pressure should be placed on ftw ATC to improve traffic flow and controling techniques. Also, emergency vehicles followed our aircraft all the way to the gate which not only caused concern for our passenger but further jeopardized the safety of our flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD80 CREW HAD TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER APCHING DFW.

Narrative: MINIMUM FUEL LNDG. WE DEPARTED THE GATE AT MCO WITH ENOUGH FUEL TO HAVE 7.2 HRS FUEL OVER DEST AT DFW. WE DEPARTED ON RWY 36L AT MCO WHICH CAUSED ADDED FUEL BURN. FLT PLAN ALLOWED FOR A 10 MIN TAXI, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAD 20 MINS. AT THE TOP OF CLB, WE WERE DOWN APPROX 500 LBS. WE WERE GIVEN A HOLDING CLRNC ONCE ON THE SCY ARR TO HOLD AT PAIGE INTXN, EXPECTED FURTHER CLRNC TIME XA23. WE ARRIVED AT PAIGE AT XA10Z WITH 7.1 HRS FUEL. AFTER ALMOST 3 TURNS IN THE PATTERN, WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO GO DIRECT SCY VOR AND DO THE SCY 7. BEFORE REFIL, I TOLD FTW ATC OF OUR MINIMUM FUEL SIT. AT REFIL, ATC ASSIGNED US A HDG OF 300 DEGS FOR THE W SIDE OF DFW. I ADVISED HIM I WAS UNABLE DUE TO MINIMUM FUEL AND REQUESTED RWY 17L. ATC SAID THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET RWY 17L WAS TO DECLARE AN EMER. I DID DECLARE AN EMER AND LANDED ON RWY 17R. I LANDED WITH 45 MINS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND TAXIED TO THE GATE. NOTE: FUEL OVER DEST AT DFW MUST BE REVIEWED BY THE FLT DEPT AND DISPATCH. INSTEAD OF PRESSURE ON DISPATCHERS TO LOWER FUEL OVER DEST AT DFW, PRESSURE SHOULD BE PLACED ON FTW ATC TO IMPROVE TFC FLOW AND CTLING TECHNIQUES. ALSO, EMER VEHICLES FOLLOWED OUR ACFT ALL THE WAY TO THE GATE WHICH NOT ONLY CAUSED CONCERN FOR OUR PAX BUT FURTHER JEOPARDIZED THE SAFETY OF OUR FLT.

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.