Narrative:

Upon arrival at sat, we observed that they were in a single runway operation using runway 3 for both takeoffs and lndgs. We were #5 or #6 for landing receiving vectors for a visual in VFR conditions. ATC was attempting to feed departures between arrs which resulted in a lot of in-flight vectoring and speed restrs. After turning a 14 mi final behind a learjet, I was told to reduce to minimum airspeed. The learjet was told to speed up. They released an airliner for takeoff just before the lear landed, which appeared to destabilize his approach, forcing an unusually long landing roll. We were instructed to go around and when I selected go around power, a low oil pressure annunciator on the right engine illuminated. I climbed out normally, retracted gear and flaps, and notified ATC that I needed an immediate return. He asked me if I had an emergency. I said not if you give me priority to land. He said that I was #7 for landing unless I wanted to declare an emergency. I still had the low oil pressure light, and the airport was at my 3 O'clock position and 5 mi. So, I declared an emergency and turned for the airport. We landed without incident. I talked to the tower chief, and he was satisfied that it was a legitimate emergency. The local FBO maintenance facility found a blown oil pressure pickup on the engine which resulted in the annunciator light. The reason for this report, is to relay my displeasure with the way ATC handled the operations that day. Everyone landing at sat on runway 3 was asked to do things that were totally beyond the scope of a normal arrival. When our problem developed, ATC was not able to cope with it, unless I declared an emergency. I knew that the oil pressure annunciator was probably faulty, but I still needed to get on the ground to verify it. ATC would, or could, not comply. I have been flying 30 yrs. Pilots do not like to declare an emergency unless it's really critical. ATC's attitude could have resulted in an unnecessary 15 mi final with a potentially sick airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR CAPT LABELED THE ARR PROCS ISSUED BY SAT TWR AS UNREASONABLE. WHEN AN ENG PROB DEVELOPED, THE RPTR FELT PRESSURED BY THE TWR TO DECLARE AN EMER AS IT APPEARED TO BE THEIR ONLY MEANS OF GIVING THE RPTR PRIORITY HANDLING.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT SAT, WE OBSERVED THAT THEY WERE IN A SINGLE RWY OP USING RWY 3 FOR BOTH TKOFS AND LNDGS. WE WERE #5 OR #6 FOR LNDG RECEIVING VECTORS FOR A VISUAL IN VFR CONDITIONS. ATC WAS ATTEMPTING TO FEED DEPS BTWN ARRS WHICH RESULTED IN A LOT OF INFLT VECTORING AND SPD RESTRS. AFTER TURNING A 14 MI FINAL BEHIND A LEARJET, I WAS TOLD TO REDUCE TO MINIMUM AIRSPD. THE LEARJET WAS TOLD TO SPD UP. THEY RELEASED AN AIRLINER FOR TKOF JUST BEFORE THE LEAR LANDED, WHICH APPEARED TO DESTABILIZE HIS APCH, FORCING AN UNUSUALLY LONG LNDG ROLL. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO GO AROUND AND WHEN I SELECTED GAR PWR, A LOW OIL PRESSURE ANNUNCIATOR ON THE R ENG ILLUMINATED. I CLBED OUT NORMALLY, RETRACTED GEAR AND FLAPS, AND NOTIFIED ATC THAT I NEEDED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN. HE ASKED ME IF I HAD AN EMER. I SAID NOT IF YOU GIVE ME PRIORITY TO LAND. HE SAID THAT I WAS #7 FOR LNDG UNLESS I WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER. I STILL HAD THE LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT, AND THE ARPT WAS AT MY 3 O'CLOCK POS AND 5 MI. SO, I DECLARED AN EMER AND TURNED FOR THE ARPT. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I TALKED TO THE TWR CHIEF, AND HE WAS SATISFIED THAT IT WAS A LEGITIMATE EMER. THE LCL FBO MAINT FACILITY FOUND A BLOWN OIL PRESSURE PICKUP ON THE ENG WHICH RESULTED IN THE ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT. THE REASON FOR THIS RPT, IS TO RELAY MY DISPLEASURE WITH THE WAY ATC HANDLED THE OPS THAT DAY. EVERYONE LNDG AT SAT ON RWY 3 WAS ASKED TO DO THINGS THAT WERE TOTALLY BEYOND THE SCOPE OF A NORMAL ARR. WHEN OUR PROB DEVELOPED, ATC WAS NOT ABLE TO COPE WITH IT, UNLESS I DECLARED AN EMER. I KNEW THAT THE OIL PRESSURE ANNUNCIATOR WAS PROBABLY FAULTY, BUT I STILL NEEDED TO GET ON THE GND TO VERIFY IT. ATC WOULD, OR COULD, NOT COMPLY. I HAVE BEEN FLYING 30 YRS. PLTS DO NOT LIKE TO DECLARE AN EMER UNLESS IT'S REALLY CRITICAL. ATC'S ATTITUDE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN UNNECESSARY 15 MI FINAL WITH A POTENTIALLY SICK AIRPLANE.

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.