Flight crew of MD88 is placed in air hold well south of their destination. Monitoring fuel burn they...

Attributes
ACN	385319
Time
Date	199711
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	385319
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were dispatched from atl to ewr with 19400 pounds of fuel. No alternate was listed on the flight plan. Ewr WX was good VFR and forecast to remain so. Flight was normal until we were told to hold at hpw with an efc of XY15Z. Contacted company flight control and got fuel burn of 2100 pounds from hpw to ewr and 1400 pounds from hpw to phl. Decided not to proceed to ewr with less than 6500 pounds of fuel at hpw. WX was clear all over ny/phl area. At approximately 7000 pounds of fuel I contacted center and told them we were minimum fuel and would have to divert if not cleared to ewr within a few mins. We were immediately told to fly a 360 degree heading for vectors onto the arrival. We passed hpw with approximately 6800 pounds of fuel. We had a stet tailwind that was forecast to remain with us to top of descent. We intercepted the robinsville arrival to ewr. With each frequency change we declared 'minimum fuel.' we passed over rbv with approximately 4800 pounds and were given a 360 degree heading for vectors to a runway 22L landing. At 4000 pounds on downwind I requested preferential handling due to minimum fuel and was told I had to declare an emergency to get that. I asked what our sequence was and was told we were #13 for the field with approximately 50 flying mi to landing. I declared an emergency with 3700 pounds remaining. We were vectored to the approach and landed on runway 22L with approximately 2700 pounds on board. I don't agree with the policy of not allowing expedited handling for minimum fuel unless an emergency is declared.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MD88 IS PLACED IN AIR HOLD WELL S OF THEIR DEST. MONITORING FUEL BURN THEY DECLARE MINIMUM FUEL AND RECEIVE VECTORS TO ARR. WHEN TOLD THEY ARE #13 FOR LNDG THEY REQUEST PREFERENTIAL HANDLING. THEY ARE INFORMED THEY MUST DECLARE AN EMER TO RECEIVE SUCH HANDLING.

Narrative: WE WERE DISPATCHED FROM ATL TO EWR WITH 19400 LBS OF FUEL. NO ALTERNATE WAS LISTED ON THE FLT PLAN. EWR WX WAS GOOD VFR AND FORECAST TO REMAIN SO. FLT WAS NORMAL UNTIL WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD AT HPW WITH AN EFC OF XY15Z. CONTACTED COMPANY FLT CTL AND GOT FUEL BURN OF 2100 LBS FROM HPW TO EWR AND 1400 LBS FROM HPW TO PHL. DECIDED NOT TO PROCEED TO EWR WITH LESS THAN 6500 LBS OF FUEL AT HPW. WX WAS CLR ALL OVER NY/PHL AREA. AT APPROX 7000 LBS OF FUEL I CONTACTED CTR AND TOLD THEM WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL AND WOULD HAVE TO DIVERT IF NOT CLRED TO EWR WITHIN A FEW MINS. WE WERE IMMEDIATELY TOLD TO FLY A 360 DEG HDG FOR VECTORS ONTO THE ARR. WE PASSED HPW WITH APPROX 6800 LBS OF FUEL. WE HAD A STET TAILWIND THAT WAS FORECAST TO REMAIN WITH US TO TOP OF DSCNT. WE INTERCEPTED THE ROBINSVILLE ARR TO EWR. WITH EACH FREQ CHANGE WE DECLARED 'MINIMUM FUEL.' WE PASSED OVER RBV WITH APPROX 4800 LBS AND WERE GIVEN A 360 DEG HDG FOR VECTORS TO A RWY 22L LNDG. AT 4000 LBS ON DOWNWIND I REQUESTED PREFERENTIAL HANDLING DUE TO MINIMUM FUEL AND WAS TOLD I HAD TO DECLARE AN EMER TO GET THAT. I ASKED WHAT OUR SEQUENCE WAS AND WAS TOLD WE WERE #13 FOR THE FIELD WITH APPROX 50 FLYING MI TO LNDG. I DECLARED AN EMER WITH 3700 LBS REMAINING. WE WERE VECTORED TO THE APCH AND LANDED ON RWY 22L WITH APPROX 2700 LBS ON BOARD. I DON'T AGREE WITH THE POLICY OF NOT ALLOWING EXPEDITED HANDLING FOR MINIMUM FUEL UNLESS AN EMER IS DECLARED.

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.

Flight crew of MD88 is placed in air hold well south of their destination. Monitoring fuel burn they declare minimum fuel and receive vectors to arrival. When told they are #13 for landing they request preferential handling. They are informed they must declare an emergency to receive such handling.