Narrative:

Flight was planned from bos to teb as a direct flight of 165 NM, computed fuel burn 1000 pounds at planned altitude of FL260 (includes 300 pounds for taxi and other ground operations). Flight was advised by bos '5-10 min delay, perhaps less' when metering was contacted. Flight was released to ground control for taxiing after 2 more calls and about 20-25 min delay. At time of release for taxi, flight was about #10 for departure so waited another 10-15 mins before being cleared for takeoff. Fuel at start was 3200 pounds. At takeoff fuel was not recorded but was probably about 2400-2500 pounds. Clearance was logan 2 glyde V292 sages V489 direct, a route of 248 NM versus the anticipated 165 NM (we had requested and preferred route from FSS and were informed there was none). We were cleared at 16000 ft instead of our planned FL260 and told 16000 ft would be our final after airborne (clearance was 'expect filed altitude after 10 mins,' I believe). The combination of lower altitude and circuitous routing increased our fuel burn from 1000 pounds to 1900 pounds. Nevertheless, we believed the flight could still be completed safely if we were not delayed and we elected to continue to destination. We requested improvements in our routing several times and were deferred or denied. At that point, about 20 mins after takeoff we advised center we would be minimum fuel, unable to accept delays on arrival at teb. The controller advised us he would pass the information on. At handoff to ZNY, we again requested more direct routing and were turned/cleared direct coate. The improvement was slight and too late to help much. When handed off to new york approach, the controller descended us and we asked if he was aware we were minimum fuel. He responded 'no' and asked our fuel remaining. We estimated 20 mins to exhaustion (we were within 5-10 mins of teb). He advised us his rules required him to declare us a fuel emergency and he provided vectors to a right downwind for runway 19 at teb. We landed safely, shutting down with 10-15 mins fuel remaining. While we did not appreciate the unanticipated takeoff delay, the circuitous routing or the fuel burning lower altitude, in my opinion safe completion of the flight was not in doubt at any time and there were stop- short airfields available if WX or airfield conditions precluded landing at teb.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A LEAR JET 24 (LR24) WERE DECLARED A FUEL EMER BY APCH CTLR DUE TO ONLY 20 MINS OF FUEL AVAILABLE UNTIL EXHAUSTION. APCH RADAR CTLR VECTORED FLT TO DEST ARPT EXPEDITIOUSLY AND THE FLT LANDED WITH A REMAINING 10 MINS OF FUEL.

Narrative: FLT WAS PLANNED FROM BOS TO TEB AS A DIRECT FLT OF 165 NM, COMPUTED FUEL BURN 1000 LBS AT PLANNED ALT OF FL260 (INCLUDES 300 LBS FOR TAXI AND OTHER GND OPS). FLT WAS ADVISED BY BOS '5-10 MIN DELAY, PERHAPS LESS' WHEN METERING WAS CONTACTED. FLT WAS RELEASED TO GND CTL FOR TAXIING AFTER 2 MORE CALLS AND ABOUT 20-25 MIN DELAY. AT TIME OF RELEASE FOR TAXI, FLT WAS ABOUT #10 FOR DEP SO WAITED ANOTHER 10-15 MINS BEFORE BEING CLRED FOR TKOF. FUEL AT START WAS 3200 LBS. AT TKOF FUEL WAS NOT RECORDED BUT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 2400-2500 LBS. CLRNC WAS LOGAN 2 GLYDE V292 SAGES V489 DIRECT, A RTE OF 248 NM VERSUS THE ANTICIPATED 165 NM (WE HAD REQUESTED AND PREFERRED RTE FROM FSS AND WERE INFORMED THERE WAS NONE). WE WERE CLRED AT 16000 FT INSTEAD OF OUR PLANNED FL260 AND TOLD 16000 FT WOULD BE OUR FINAL AFTER AIRBORNE (CLRNC WAS 'EXPECT FILED ALT AFTER 10 MINS,' I BELIEVE). THE COMBINATION OF LOWER ALT AND CIRCUITOUS ROUTING INCREASED OUR FUEL BURN FROM 1000 LBS TO 1900 LBS. NEVERTHELESS, WE BELIEVED THE FLT COULD STILL BE COMPLETED SAFELY IF WE WERE NOT DELAYED AND WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO DEST. WE REQUESTED IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR ROUTING SEVERAL TIMES AND WERE DEFERRED OR DENIED. AT THAT POINT, ABOUT 20 MINS AFTER TKOF WE ADVISED CTR WE WOULD BE MINIMUM FUEL, UNABLE TO ACCEPT DELAYS ON ARR AT TEB. THE CTLR ADVISED US HE WOULD PASS THE INFO ON. AT HDOF TO ZNY, WE AGAIN REQUESTED MORE DIRECT ROUTING AND WERE TURNED/CLRED DIRECT COATE. THE IMPROVEMENT WAS SLIGHT AND TOO LATE TO HELP MUCH. WHEN HANDED OFF TO NEW YORK APCH, THE CTLR DSNDED US AND WE ASKED IF HE WAS AWARE WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL. HE RESPONDED 'NO' AND ASKED OUR FUEL REMAINING. WE ESTIMATED 20 MINS TO EXHAUSTION (WE WERE WITHIN 5-10 MINS OF TEB). HE ADVISED US HIS RULES REQUIRED HIM TO DECLARE US A FUEL EMER AND HE PROVIDED VECTORS TO A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 19 AT TEB. WE LANDED SAFELY, SHUTTING DOWN WITH 10-15 MINS FUEL REMAINING. WHILE WE DID NOT APPRECIATE THE UNANTICIPATED TKOF DELAY, THE CIRCUITOUS ROUTING OR THE FUEL BURNING LOWER ALT, IN MY OPINION SAFE COMPLETION OF THE FLT WAS NOT IN DOUBT AT ANY TIME AND THERE WERE STOP- SHORT AIRFIELDS AVAILABLE IF WX OR AIRFIELD CONDITIONS PRECLUDED LNDG AT TEB.

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.