Flight arriving denver encounters delay because of WX. Considers divert or special handling.

Attributes
ACN	476961
Time
Date	200006
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Windshear Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	BAe 146 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 35l
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	476961
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed missed approach
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Flight from ase-den. In summer we are usually weight restr out of aspen by temperature. WX in denver VFR and forecast to stay VFR. Minimum fuel out of aspen was 6700 pounds which is burnoff, 3000 pounds reserve, and 1000 pounds delay (18 mins) arriving at dia. On arriving at dia, vectoring for runway 35L, isolated thunderstorm southwest edge of airport moving west to east now covering approach ends of runway 34 and runway 35L. Xferring from approach control to tower, tower advised windshear at 20 KTS. My view of the thunderstorm cell, conditions couldn't have gotten much worse and decision was made to go around, as did all aircraft behind me. Asked for side-step to runway 35R, denied, conflicting landing aircraft. Go around, climb to 8000 ft, then 9000 ft, then 11000 ft. 1 orbit back inbound and aircraft were then landing runway 34. Thunderstorm then over runway 35L/4. Outbound again, not enough fuel to hold, talking to dispatch about diverting to cos, then into reserve fuel. Approach control was then vectoring aircraft to runway 34 -- asked our sequence, #7. Decision time -- divert to cos and land with 1500 pounds fuel (15-18 mins) or ask for priority to dia. Told dia approach that we couldn't wait for #7, 'we are fuel critical' and 'need to go in.' approach turned us base and we landed ok. Did not declare an emergency, only 'fuel critical.' should it have been 'fuel minimum' or 'fuel critical,' don't know, but another aircraft also followed us for fuel. Note: WX was VFR entire time except for thunderstorm moving across airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ARRIVING DENVER ENCOUNTERS DELAY BECAUSE OF WX. CONSIDERS DIVERT OR SPECIAL HANDLING.

Narrative: FLT FROM ASE-DEN. IN SUMMER WE ARE USUALLY WT RESTR OUT OF ASPEN BY TEMP. WX IN DENVER VFR AND FORECAST TO STAY VFR. MINIMUM FUEL OUT OF ASPEN WAS 6700 LBS WHICH IS BURNOFF, 3000 LBS RESERVE, AND 1000 LBS DELAY (18 MINS) ARRIVING AT DIA. ON ARRIVING AT DIA, VECTORING FOR RWY 35L, ISOLATED TSTM SW EDGE OF ARPT MOVING W TO E NOW COVERING APCH ENDS OF RWY 34 AND RWY 35L. XFERRING FROM APCH CTL TO TWR, TWR ADVISED WINDSHEAR AT 20 KTS. MY VIEW OF THE TSTM CELL, CONDITIONS COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN MUCH WORSE AND DECISION WAS MADE TO GO AROUND, AS DID ALL ACFT BEHIND ME. ASKED FOR SIDE-STEP TO RWY 35R, DENIED, CONFLICTING LNDG ACFT. GAR, CLB TO 8000 FT, THEN 9000 FT, THEN 11000 FT. 1 ORBIT BACK INBOUND AND ACFT WERE THEN LNDG RWY 34. TSTM THEN OVER RWY 35L/4. OUTBOUND AGAIN, NOT ENOUGH FUEL TO HOLD, TALKING TO DISPATCH ABOUT DIVERTING TO COS, THEN INTO RESERVE FUEL. APCH CTL WAS THEN VECTORING ACFT TO RWY 34 -- ASKED OUR SEQUENCE, #7. DECISION TIME -- DIVERT TO COS AND LAND WITH 1500 LBS FUEL (15-18 MINS) OR ASK FOR PRIORITY TO DIA. TOLD DIA APCH THAT WE COULDN'T WAIT FOR #7, 'WE ARE FUEL CRITICAL' AND 'NEED TO GO IN.' APCH TURNED US BASE AND WE LANDED OK. DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER, ONLY 'FUEL CRITICAL.' SHOULD IT HAVE BEEN 'FUEL MINIMUM' OR 'FUEL CRITICAL,' DON'T KNOW, BUT ANOTHER ACFT ALSO FOLLOWED US FOR FUEL. NOTE: WX WAS VFR ENTIRE TIME EXCEPT FOR TSTM MOVING ACROSS ARPT.

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.