SF340B aircraft. En route pvd to jfk the WX went below minimums, flight crew held for almost an hour and a half before the RVR was high enough to commence an approach to jfk. Then the visibility again went below minimums so flight crew diverted back to pvd. The fuel was getting low and flight crew declared low fuel, but failed to declare an emergency. Though the visibility again went below minimums at pvd, flight crew made approach and landed. Reporter first officer says that perhaps they should have declared an emergency.

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Attributes
ACN	357328
Time
Date	199701
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pvd
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pvd
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	357328
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

On jan/xx/1997, we departed pvd for jfk at XX50. WX in jfk was reported to be VV1, 1800 ft RVR for runway 4R. En route the WX at jfk deteriorated to less than 1/4 mi or 1000 ft RVR. We held at CCC for nearly an hour and a half before deciding to return to pvd. After receiving a clearance and an initial vector for pvd, we were told jfk visibility was now more than 1800 ft RVR. We then elected to fly the approach into jfk runway 13R. As we were receiving vectors the visibility went back down below minimums but we elected to continue the approach to the marker before electing to miss just in case the visibility came up. Upon reaching the marker, we queried the tower as to the visibility. The tower would not respond. So upon reaching the marker we had no choice but to miss and proceed to our alternate. Having held for as long as we did and then returning to jfk put us at about 1250 pounds of fuel which equaled 1:30 mins of total fuel remaining -- enough to get to our alternate of pvd with 45+ mins remaining. As we approached pvd their WX went below minimums (1200 ft RVR). We had already declared minimum fuel and didn't feel we really needed to declare an emergency in order to be legal for the approach. But in hindsight we agreed maybe we should have just to cover our bases.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF340B ACFT. ENRTE PVD TO JFK THE WX WENT BELOW MINIMUMS, FLC HELD FOR ALMOST AN HR AND A HALF BEFORE THE RVR WAS HIGH ENOUGH TO COMMENCE AN APCH TO JFK. THEN THE VISIBILITY AGAIN WENT BELOW MINIMUMS SO FLC DIVERTED BACK TO PVD. THE FUEL WAS GETTING LOW AND FLC DECLARED LOW FUEL, BUT FAILED TO DECLARE AN EMER. THOUGH THE VISIBILITY AGAIN WENT BELOW MINIMUMS AT PVD, FLC MADE APCH AND LANDED. RPTR FO SAYS THAT PERHAPS THEY SHOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER.

Narrative: ON JAN/XX/1997, WE DEPARTED PVD FOR JFK AT XX50. WX IN JFK WAS RPTED TO BE VV1, 1800 FT RVR FOR RWY 4R. ENRTE THE WX AT JFK DETERIORATED TO LESS THAN 1/4 MI OR 1000 FT RVR. WE HELD AT CCC FOR NEARLY AN HR AND A HALF BEFORE DECIDING TO RETURN TO PVD. AFTER RECEIVING A CLRNC AND AN INITIAL VECTOR FOR PVD, WE WERE TOLD JFK VISIBILITY WAS NOW MORE THAN 1800 FT RVR. WE THEN ELECTED TO FLY THE APCH INTO JFK RWY 13R. AS WE WERE RECEIVING VECTORS THE VISIBILITY WENT BACK DOWN BELOW MINIMUMS BUT WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE APCH TO THE MARKER BEFORE ELECTING TO MISS JUST IN CASE THE VISIBILITY CAME UP. UPON REACHING THE MARKER, WE QUERIED THE TWR AS TO THE VISIBILITY. THE TWR WOULD NOT RESPOND. SO UPON REACHING THE MARKER WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO MISS AND PROCEED TO OUR ALTERNATE. HAVING HELD FOR AS LONG AS WE DID AND THEN RETURNING TO JFK PUT US AT ABOUT 1250 LBS OF FUEL WHICH EQUALED 1:30 MINS OF TOTAL FUEL REMAINING -- ENOUGH TO GET TO OUR ALTERNATE OF PVD WITH 45+ MINS REMAINING. AS WE APCHED PVD THEIR WX WENT BELOW MINIMUMS (1200 FT RVR). WE HAD ALREADY DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL AND DIDN'T FEEL WE REALLY NEEDED TO DECLARE AN EMER IN ORDER TO BE LEGAL FOR THE APCH. BUT IN HINDSIGHT WE AGREED MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE JUST TO COVER OUR BASES.

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.