Narrative:

On a routine flight from lih-hnl, the flight was vectored for an lda approach runway 26L at hnl airport. We were #4 on the approach. The WX was better than minimums. In fact, as we were vectored for the approach, we could see the runway in use. The WX deteriorated rapidly. A DC10 missed in front of us. We continued on the approach, missed and was told on the miss to climb to 4000 ft direct to alana, hold left turns, 2 min legs. We entered holding with 8000 pounds of fuel. We then held as other aircraft missed and joined in the stack. We were then told WX had improved and we would be vectored for another lda. We had 6000 pounds as we were now #2 for the approach and the controller reported visibility improving. 1 aircraft got in another missed. Noting that the wind was starting to swing to a crosswind quartering tailwind, I asked for an ILS. We were at 5000 pounds fuel at this time. The supervisor then came on and asked if I would take an ILS runway 8L. We replied in the affirmative. We were then told we were #2. I asked for #1. There was hesitation. I then declared an emergency, to force ATC to accept me as #1 for an ILS and requested runway 4L ILS to expedite landing. WX for the ILS runway 8L and runway 4R was above minimums, wind being the factor for not using these approachs. We landed without event, with 3700-4000 pounds of fuel. All other aircraft made it in at this point. The lda was not used after this time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737-200 HAD TO DECLARE AN EMER FOR MINIMUM FUEL IN ORDER TO OBTAIN PRIORITY HANDLING FROM APCH CTLR AFTER THEIR FUEL BECAME LOW DUE TO HOLDING AND MAKING 1 MISSED APCH. IN ADDITION, THAT THEY WOULD BE #2 FOR THE NEXT APCH.

Narrative: ON A ROUTINE FLT FROM LIH-HNL, THE FLT WAS VECTORED FOR AN LDA APCH RWY 26L AT HNL ARPT. WE WERE #4 ON THE APCH. THE WX WAS BETTER THAN MINIMUMS. IN FACT, AS WE WERE VECTORED FOR THE APCH, WE COULD SEE THE RWY IN USE. THE WX DETERIORATED RAPIDLY. A DC10 MISSED IN FRONT OF US. WE CONTINUED ON THE APCH, MISSED AND WAS TOLD ON THE MISS TO CLB TO 4000 FT DIRECT TO ALANA, HOLD L TURNS, 2 MIN LEGS. WE ENTERED HOLDING WITH 8000 LBS OF FUEL. WE THEN HELD AS OTHER ACFT MISSED AND JOINED IN THE STACK. WE WERE THEN TOLD WX HAD IMPROVED AND WE WOULD BE VECTORED FOR ANOTHER LDA. WE HAD 6000 LBS AS WE WERE NOW #2 FOR THE APCH AND THE CTLR RPTED VISIBILITY IMPROVING. 1 ACFT GOT IN ANOTHER MISSED. NOTING THAT THE WIND WAS STARTING TO SWING TO A XWIND QUARTERING TAILWIND, I ASKED FOR AN ILS. WE WERE AT 5000 LBS FUEL AT THIS TIME. THE SUPVR THEN CAME ON AND ASKED IF I WOULD TAKE AN ILS RWY 8L. WE REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE WERE THEN TOLD WE WERE #2. I ASKED FOR #1. THERE WAS HESITATION. I THEN DECLARED AN EMER, TO FORCE ATC TO ACCEPT ME AS #1 FOR AN ILS AND REQUESTED RWY 4L ILS TO EXPEDITE LNDG. WX FOR THE ILS RWY 8L AND RWY 4R WAS ABOVE MINIMUMS, WIND BEING THE FACTOR FOR NOT USING THESE APCHS. WE LANDED WITHOUT EVENT, WITH 3700-4000 LBS OF FUEL. ALL OTHER ACFT MADE IT IN AT THIS POINT. THE LDA WAS NOT USED AFTER THIS TIME.

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.