Narrative:

Captain's emergency authority/authorized flight bur-sea. Planned minimum fuel 24.8 out of bur landing sea with 7000 pounds of fuel. Leveled off at FL280. Because there was less headwind than at FL310 (long range cruise .76 was used for all of the flight). Over clovis we were 400 pounds behind burn and 300 pounds out of balance. We started getting turbulence, so we climbed to FL310. Over linden still 400 pounds over burn. At klamath falls we were -1000 pounds, still planned landing sea 6000 pounds of fuel. We were 350 pounds out of balance. (All very normal at this point.) over pdx we were -2300 pounds over burn landing sea 4.8. This was if the wind was to cease. This gave us concern and we asked for priority handling due to low fuel. ATC gave us FL240. The winds were still 160 KTS on the nose at FL240. I again asked for priority, which ATC asked if we wanted to declare an emergency. I said no. About 30 mi from olm, ATC gave us a heading to avard to intercept northeast of olm. At avard the first officer noticed 1000 pounds out of balance, so we then declared an emergency and landed runway 34R. At the gate we had 3.8 (38 mins of fuel) and 700 pounds out of balance. We did not try to xfeed because we thought there might be a leak. The heading to avard is on the arrival and still out of the way but I knew we would land with about 3.8. It was the imbal that concerned me and declared an emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 PIC RPT ON A LOW FUEL AND IMBAL CONDITION THAT CAUSED HIM TO DECLARE AN EMER WITH ZSE SW OF SEA, WA.

Narrative: CAPT'S EMER AUTH FLT BUR-SEA. PLANNED MINIMUM FUEL 24.8 OUT OF BUR LNDG SEA WITH 7000 LBS OF FUEL. LEVELED OFF AT FL280. BECAUSE THERE WAS LESS HEADWIND THAN AT FL310 (LONG RANGE CRUISE .76 WAS USED FOR ALL OF THE FLT). OVER CLOVIS WE WERE 400 LBS BEHIND BURN AND 300 LBS OUT OF BAL. WE STARTED GETTING TURB, SO WE CLBED TO FL310. OVER LINDEN STILL 400 LBS OVER BURN. AT KLAMATH FALLS WE WERE -1000 LBS, STILL PLANNED LNDG SEA 6000 LBS OF FUEL. WE WERE 350 LBS OUT OF BAL. (ALL VERY NORMAL AT THIS POINT.) OVER PDX WE WERE -2300 LBS OVER BURN LNDG SEA 4.8. THIS WAS IF THE WIND WAS TO CEASE. THIS GAVE US CONCERN AND WE ASKED FOR PRIORITY HANDLING DUE TO LOW FUEL. ATC GAVE US FL240. THE WINDS WERE STILL 160 KTS ON THE NOSE AT FL240. I AGAIN ASKED FOR PRIORITY, WHICH ATC ASKED IF WE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER. I SAID NO. ABOUT 30 MI FROM OLM, ATC GAVE US A HDG TO AVARD TO INTERCEPT NE OF OLM. AT AVARD THE FO NOTICED 1000 LBS OUT OF BAL, SO WE THEN DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED RWY 34R. AT THE GATE WE HAD 3.8 (38 MINS OF FUEL) AND 700 LBS OUT OF BAL. WE DID NOT TRY TO XFEED BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE A LEAK. THE HDG TO AVARD IS ON THE ARR AND STILL OUT OF THE WAY BUT I KNEW WE WOULD LAND WITH ABOUT 3.8. IT WAS THE IMBAL THAT CONCERNED ME AND DECLARED AN EMER.

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.