Narrative:

We departed ord en route to iad. We were asked if we could accept FL410. After consulting our manuals we accepted the clearance. Prior to reaching indian head VOR, we were told to hold. While entering the holding pattern and making several turns, our airspeed began to bleed off. We then commanded maximum control thrust but our airspeed still continued to slow. We then requested a lower altitude from ATC but were denied because of airspace saturation. We then declared an emergency to get a lower altitude. After receiving low airspeed warnings the aircraft diverted to phl and landed without incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that since the aircraft fuel available was not sufficient for extended holding expected into the destination airport, one of the alternates was selected. In addition, company maintenance advised that one of their 2 engines had a known problem of not producing the thrust expected and that should be fixed as soon as possible. The reporter also stated that he and the captain were reluctant to declare an emergency in order to get a lower altitude because of the belief that there would be a federal investigation as a result. Therefore, the controller had to explain to the flight crew that he could not give them a lower altitude unless an emergency was declared. The aircraft operated was a B777.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B777 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO LAND AFTER NOT BEING ABLE TO HOLD MINIMUM CONTROLLABLE AIRSPD DURING HOLDING AT FL410.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED ORD ENRTE TO IAD. WE WERE ASKED IF WE COULD ACCEPT FL410. AFTER CONSULTING OUR MANUALS WE ACCEPTED THE CLRNC. PRIOR TO REACHING INDIAN HEAD VOR, WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD. WHILE ENTERING THE HOLDING PATTERN AND MAKING SEVERAL TURNS, OUR AIRSPD BEGAN TO BLEED OFF. WE THEN COMMANDED MAX CTL THRUST BUT OUR AIRSPD STILL CONTINUED TO SLOW. WE THEN REQUESTED A LOWER ALT FROM ATC BUT WERE DENIED BECAUSE OF AIRSPACE SATURATION. WE THEN DECLARED AN EMER TO GET A LOWER ALT. AFTER RECEIVING LOW AIRSPD WARNINGS THE ACFT DIVERTED TO PHL AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT SINCE THE ACFT FUEL AVAILABLE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR EXTENDED HOLDING EXPECTED INTO THE DEST ARPT, ONE OF THE ALTERNATES WAS SELECTED. IN ADDITION, COMPANY MAINT ADVISED THAT ONE OF THEIR 2 ENGS HAD A KNOWN PROB OF NOT PRODUCING THE THRUST EXPECTED AND THAT SHOULD BE FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE RPTR ALSO STATED THAT HE AND THE CAPT WERE RELUCTANT TO DECLARE AN EMER IN ORDER TO GET A LOWER ALT BECAUSE OF THE BELIEF THAT THERE WOULD BE A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION AS A RESULT. THEREFORE, THE CTLR HAD TO EXPLAIN TO THE FLC THAT HE COULD NOT GIVE THEM A LOWER ALT UNLESS AN EMER WAS DECLARED. THE ACFT OPERATED WAS A B777.

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.