Narrative:

Departed ord to cvg, had increased fuel from 9000 pounds to 15000 pounds and as we arrived in the cvg area we were advised that approximately 10 aircraft were ahead of us with windshear and cells (3-6 level) in the area. We were given a hold at milan intersection at 12000 ft. Ride in clouds was moderate chop. After one turn in the holding pattern, however, we were vectored for runway 18R but then south for a runway 36L approach due to a windshift. Ride was now moderate chop to light turbulence. Approaching the final approach fix the aircraft ahead reported winds from the west at 50 KTS and with the radar showing mostly red and magenta, I elected to abandon the approach and divert to sdf with fuel at 8300 pounds (alternate fuel burn was 2500 pounds). Upon arrival at sdf, approachs were in progress but WX similar to cvg (cells 3-5) was becoming a factor. Our fuel was now 6500 pounds and I declared minimum fuel to ATC. We were told that we would be #5 with about a 15 min delay. They also told us the WX at the lexington airport (50 mi east) was holding ok. I felt that the delay from fuel standpoint was unacceptable in the event that the WX were to deteriorate further or the possibility that a missed approach, if necessary, might not be possible. At this point with fuel at 6300 pounds I declared an emergency for low fuel state. We received immediate vectors from ATC and subsequent approach (4000 ft RVR, moderate rain, light chop) and landing were normal. We blocked at the gate with 5300 pounds. Shortly after our arrival (10 mins) both sdf and cvg went to a ground stop for about 35 mins. Human performance -- aircraft was non touch-screen ACARS so all information in or out is manual by radio contact (commercial radio or direct) and takes one pilot out of the loop for that period of time. Workload was high after the incomplete approach at cvg. Low altitude, moderate chop, detouring around WX and then the handoff to sdf. With the delay information from sdf approach, anxiety level was starting to get high so after a brief discussion of our options (getting short) we felt that one approach as quickly as possible would still allow us to proceed directly to lexington if that were required. Lexington is a designated close airport, though I have never been there and we carry no approach plates for it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO A LOW FUEL STATE DURING AIR HOLDING FOR AN APCH.

Narrative: DEPARTED ORD TO CVG, HAD INCREASED FUEL FROM 9000 LBS TO 15000 LBS AND AS WE ARRIVED IN THE CVG AREA WE WERE ADVISED THAT APPROX 10 ACFT WERE AHEAD OF US WITH WINDSHEAR AND CELLS (3-6 LEVEL) IN THE AREA. WE WERE GIVEN A HOLD AT MILAN INTXN AT 12000 FT. RIDE IN CLOUDS WAS MODERATE CHOP. AFTER ONE TURN IN THE HOLDING PATTERN, HOWEVER, WE WERE VECTORED FOR RWY 18R BUT THEN S FOR A RWY 36L APCH DUE TO A WINDSHIFT. RIDE WAS NOW MODERATE CHOP TO LIGHT TURB. APCHING THE FINAL APCH FIX THE ACFT AHEAD RPTED WINDS FROM THE W AT 50 KTS AND WITH THE RADAR SHOWING MOSTLY RED AND MAGENTA, I ELECTED TO ABANDON THE APCH AND DIVERT TO SDF WITH FUEL AT 8300 LBS (ALTERNATE FUEL BURN WAS 2500 LBS). UPON ARR AT SDF, APCHS WERE IN PROGRESS BUT WX SIMILAR TO CVG (CELLS 3-5) WAS BECOMING A FACTOR. OUR FUEL WAS NOW 6500 LBS AND I DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL TO ATC. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD BE #5 WITH ABOUT A 15 MIN DELAY. THEY ALSO TOLD US THE WX AT THE LEXINGTON ARPT (50 MI E) WAS HOLDING OK. I FELT THAT THE DELAY FROM FUEL STANDPOINT WAS UNACCEPTABLE IN THE EVENT THAT THE WX WERE TO DETERIORATE FURTHER OR THE POSSIBILITY THAT A MISSED APCH, IF NECESSARY, MIGHT NOT BE POSSIBLE. AT THIS POINT WITH FUEL AT 6300 LBS I DECLARED AN EMER FOR LOW FUEL STATE. WE RECEIVED IMMEDIATE VECTORS FROM ATC AND SUBSEQUENT APCH (4000 FT RVR, MODERATE RAIN, LIGHT CHOP) AND LNDG WERE NORMAL. WE BLOCKED AT THE GATE WITH 5300 LBS. SHORTLY AFTER OUR ARR (10 MINS) BOTH SDF AND CVG WENT TO A GND STOP FOR ABOUT 35 MINS. HUMAN PERFORMANCE -- ACFT WAS NON TOUCH-SCREEN ACARS SO ALL INFO IN OR OUT IS MANUAL BY RADIO CONTACT (COMMERCIAL RADIO OR DIRECT) AND TAKES ONE PLT OUT OF THE LOOP FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME. WORKLOAD WAS HIGH AFTER THE INCOMPLETE APCH AT CVG. LOW ALT, MODERATE CHOP, DETOURING AROUND WX AND THEN THE HDOF TO SDF. WITH THE DELAY INFO FROM SDF APCH, ANXIETY LEVEL WAS STARTING TO GET HIGH SO AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF OUR OPTIONS (GETTING SHORT) WE FELT THAT ONE APCH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WOULD STILL ALLOW US TO PROCEED DIRECTLY TO LEXINGTON IF THAT WERE REQUIRED. LEXINGTON IS A DESIGNATED CLOSE ARPT, THOUGH I HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE AND WE CARRY NO APCH PLATES FOR IT.

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.