An EMB120 flight crew declared a low fuel emergency and landed at bhm.

Attributes
ACN	441014
Time
Date	199906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bhm.airport
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 5
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9700 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	441014
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Departed for bhm with dispatch release fuel. Arrived in bhm area with approximately 800 pounds. Downwind for ILS runway 23, ATC issued general advisory of level 5 thunderstorm over airport. Then ATC advised that they were changing to ILS runway 5. We requested ILS runway 5 and advised that we may have a low fuel situation. ATC advised ILS was off the air due to lightning strike. We then requested divert, first to mgm, then to hsv. After being turned toward hsv, ATC advised that ILS runway 5 was back on line. We requested ILS runway 5 and declared low fuel emergency. Shortly after that, ATC advised that ILS was down again. At that point we acquired the airport visually, reported that to ATC and proceeded to fly visual approach and landed uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB120 FLC DECLARED A LOW FUEL EMER AND LANDED AT BHM.

Narrative: DEPARTED FOR BHM WITH DISPATCH RELEASE FUEL. ARRIVED IN BHM AREA WITH APPROX 800 LBS. DOWNWIND FOR ILS RWY 23, ATC ISSUED GENERAL ADVISORY OF LEVEL 5 TSTM OVER ARPT. THEN ATC ADVISED THAT THEY WERE CHANGING TO ILS RWY 5. WE REQUESTED ILS RWY 5 AND ADVISED THAT WE MAY HAVE A LOW FUEL SIT. ATC ADVISED ILS WAS OFF THE AIR DUE TO LIGHTNING STRIKE. WE THEN REQUESTED DIVERT, FIRST TO MGM, THEN TO HSV. AFTER BEING TURNED TOWARD HSV, ATC ADVISED THAT ILS RWY 5 WAS BACK ON LINE. WE REQUESTED ILS RWY 5 AND DECLARED LOW FUEL EMER. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, ATC ADVISED THAT ILS WAS DOWN AGAIN. AT THAT POINT WE ACQUIRED THE ARPT VISUALLY, RPTED THAT TO ATC AND PROCEEDED TO FLY VISUAL APCH AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY.

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.