Narrative:

We arrived in the roa area with our required reserve fuel plus 20 mins. On our first call to approach he stated that the airport was closed due to an aircraft down and they were not sure if it was on or off the field. We decided to divert to lyh 50 mi to the east. The controller stated that the field was now open so we continued to roa. On downwind the controller stated that the field was closed again. We advised that we were minimum fuel and would need to land or go to lyh. We were at a point where a decision had to be made. The controller came back and said the airport was back open and we were cleared for a visual approach #1. He then told another aircraft that he would be next after the emergency landed. We reminded him that we had not declared an emergency, only stated 'minimum fuel.' he (the controller) stated that he had declared the emergency on us. He also stated that it was their policy to declare an emergency on any aircraft stating 'minimum fuel.' we landed without further incident. This is a good example of 'even if you do everything right something can still go wrong.' we try to carry as many passenger as possible, but when the company is pushing the aircraft's range to the maximum you can find yourself at minimum fuel quickly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL TO ATC RESULTING IN ATC DECLARING AN EMER FOR RPTR.

Narrative: WE ARRIVED IN THE ROA AREA WITH OUR REQUIRED RESERVE FUEL PLUS 20 MINS. ON OUR FIRST CALL TO APCH HE STATED THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED DUE TO AN ACFT DOWN AND THEY WERE NOT SURE IF IT WAS ON OR OFF THE FIELD. WE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO LYH 50 MI TO THE E. THE CTLR STATED THAT THE FIELD WAS NOW OPEN SO WE CONTINUED TO ROA. ON DOWNWIND THE CTLR STATED THAT THE FIELD WAS CLOSED AGAIN. WE ADVISED THAT WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL AND WOULD NEED TO LAND OR GO TO LYH. WE WERE AT A POINT WHERE A DECISION HAD TO BE MADE. THE CTLR CAME BACK AND SAID THE ARPT WAS BACK OPEN AND WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH #1. HE THEN TOLD ANOTHER ACFT THAT HE WOULD BE NEXT AFTER THE EMER LANDED. WE REMINDED HIM THAT WE HAD NOT DECLARED AN EMER, ONLY STATED 'MINIMUM FUEL.' HE (THE CTLR) STATED THAT HE HAD DECLARED THE EMER ON US. HE ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS THEIR POLICY TO DECLARE AN EMER ON ANY ACFT STATING 'MINIMUM FUEL.' WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF 'EVEN IF YOU DO EVERYTHING RIGHT SOMETHING CAN STILL GO WRONG.' WE TRY TO CARRY AS MANY PAX AS POSSIBLE, BUT WHEN THE COMPANY IS PUSHING THE ACFT'S RANGE TO THE MAX YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF AT MINIMUM FUEL QUICKLY.

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.