An air carrier B737-200 crew declared 'critical fuel' and asked for priority handling at dfw. WX fac...

Attributes
ACN	351043
Time
Date	199610
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw tracon : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 8150 flight time type : 5150
ASRS Report	351043
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	flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

We had been holding on byp 1 STAR at glove because of thunderstorms at dfw. We kept in contact with our dispatch via ACARS, advising of our fuel, and obtaining alternates and WX. Dfw started accepting arrs from the west and we were cleared over the ukw,UKW1 arrival. Dfw vectored us and slowed us to 250 KTS. We continually checked our reserve and alternate fuel, time and alternates. We had left pit with 32200 pounds of fuel, our alternate and reserves were 6300 pounds. We kept dfw informed of how much time we had until we would have to go to an alternate. We had over 10000 pounds when we started to get vectors for runway 35L. Due to traffic and buildups, we were kept at 8000 ft, then descended to 3000 ft for the approach. We intercepted the localizer and at that point went IMC with heavy rain. Both the captain and I lost our GS indicators. We stopped our descent. We couldn't continue the approach and declared a go around. During the go around, the captain informed the tower we were critical fuel (meaning minimum) and wanted priority handling. We were vectored for a visual and landed with 7400-7600 pounds. Dfw approach later informed us that they thought an aircraft had crossed over the ILS hold line and that had caused the GS failure. There were thunderstorms moving in from the east and we were concerned about our fuel and alternates because of the heavy traffic, vectoring, and possible airport closure again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B737-200 CREW DECLARED 'CRITICAL FUEL' AND ASKED FOR PRIORITY HANDLING AT DFW. WX FACTORS TSTMS AND HVY RAIN. NIGHT OP.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN HOLDING ON BYP 1 STAR AT GLOVE BECAUSE OF TSTMS AT DFW. WE KEPT IN CONTACT WITH OUR DISPATCH VIA ACARS, ADVISING OF OUR FUEL, AND OBTAINING ALTERNATES AND WX. DFW STARTED ACCEPTING ARRS FROM THE W AND WE WERE CLRED OVER THE UKW,UKW1 ARR. DFW VECTORED US AND SLOWED US TO 250 KTS. WE CONTINUALLY CHKED OUR RESERVE AND ALTERNATE FUEL, TIME AND ALTERNATES. WE HAD LEFT PIT WITH 32200 LBS OF FUEL, OUR ALTERNATE AND RESERVES WERE 6300 LBS. WE KEPT DFW INFORMED OF HOW MUCH TIME WE HAD UNTIL WE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO AN ALTERNATE. WE HAD OVER 10000 LBS WHEN WE STARTED TO GET VECTORS FOR RWY 35L. DUE TO TFC AND BUILDUPS, WE WERE KEPT AT 8000 FT, THEN DSNDED TO 3000 FT FOR THE APCH. WE INTERCEPTED THE LOC AND AT THAT POINT WENT IMC WITH HVY RAIN. BOTH THE CAPT AND I LOST OUR GS INDICATORS. WE STOPPED OUR DSCNT. WE COULDN'T CONTINUE THE APCH AND DECLARED A GAR. DURING THE GAR, THE CAPT INFORMED THE TWR WE WERE CRITICAL FUEL (MEANING MINIMUM) AND WANTED PRIORITY HANDLING. WE WERE VECTORED FOR A VISUAL AND LANDED WITH 7400-7600 LBS. DFW APCH LATER INFORMED US THAT THEY THOUGHT AN ACFT HAD CROSSED OVER THE ILS HOLD LINE AND THAT HAD CAUSED THE GS FAILURE. THERE WERE TSTMS MOVING IN FROM THE E AND WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR FUEL AND ALTERNATES BECAUSE OF THE HVY TFC, VECTORING, AND POSSIBLE ARPT CLOSURE AGAIN.

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.

An air carrier B737-200 crew declared 'critical fuel' and asked for priority handling at dfw. WX factors thunderstorms and heavy rain. Night operation.