B747 crew arrives at jfk after ocean crossing and is told they have indefinite delays. They then request clearance to their alternate, and because they are now flying at low altitude fuel becomes critical.

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Attributes
ACN	401833
Time
Date	199805
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-C/F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	401833
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

On a rerelease flight from ams to jfk, had required fuel upon arrival in airport vicinity, but not enough to hold. Started vectors to airport and descent. Due to thunderstorms approach control told us that there was now an indefinite delay, and to expect holding. We requested clearance to our alternate of phl and declared 'fuel critical' as now we did not have adequate reserves to accept a lengthy vector en route. As approach turned us south, they said that they could now get us into jfk. We accepted and landed without further delay. Arrival fuel was 21000. Once we were cleared back to jfk we were no longer 'fuel critical.' the FAA does not appear to understand this. They felt that we declared an emergency. The situation was only critical if we had to divert after lengthy, low altitude vectoring. This type of pressure might force a pilot to not declare 'fuel critical.' our company does not have a 'definitions' sections in the manual. My chief pilot said I should have said 'minimum fuel.' not quite sure of the difference.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747 CREW ARRIVES AT JFK AFTER OCEAN XING AND IS TOLD THEY HAVE INDEFINITE DELAYS. THEY THEN REQUEST CLRNC TO THEIR ALTERNATE, AND BECAUSE THEY ARE NOW FLYING AT LOW ALT FUEL BECOMES CRITICAL.

Narrative: ON A RERELEASE FLT FROM AMS TO JFK, HAD REQUIRED FUEL UPON ARR IN ARPT VICINITY, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO HOLD. STARTED VECTORS TO ARPT AND DSCNT. DUE TO TSTMS APCH CTL TOLD US THAT THERE WAS NOW AN INDEFINITE DELAY, AND TO EXPECT HOLDING. WE REQUESTED CLRNC TO OUR ALTERNATE OF PHL AND DECLARED 'FUEL CRITICAL' AS NOW WE DID NOT HAVE ADEQUATE RESERVES TO ACCEPT A LENGTHY VECTOR ENRTE. AS APCH TURNED US S, THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOW GET US INTO JFK. WE ACCEPTED AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY. ARR FUEL WAS 21000. ONCE WE WERE CLRED BACK TO JFK WE WERE NO LONGER 'FUEL CRITICAL.' THE FAA DOES NOT APPEAR TO UNDERSTAND THIS. THEY FELT THAT WE DECLARED AN EMER. THE SIT WAS ONLY CRITICAL IF WE HAD TO DIVERT AFTER LENGTHY, LOW ALT VECTORING. THIS TYPE OF PRESSURE MIGHT FORCE A PLT TO NOT DECLARE 'FUEL CRITICAL.' OUR COMPANY DOES NOT HAVE A 'DEFINITIONS' SECTIONS IN THE MANUAL. MY CHIEF PLT SAID I SHOULD HAVE SAID 'MINIMUM FUEL.' NOT QUITE SURE OF THE DIFFERENCE.

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.