A B737-400 flight crew makes a missed approach when the winds from thunderstorm activity are unfavor...

Attributes
ACN	512099
Time
Date	200105
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : clt.tower tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	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 : 150 flight time total : 27000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	512099
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Flight xx was dispatched bos to clt. Gate release fuel 22000 pounds minimum takeoff fuel 20500 pounds actual takeoff fuel 21400 pounds. Flight dispatched with no alternate as forecast WX at clt was VMC. En route, I was notified that thunderstorms were developing northwest of gsp. Prior to magic (magic 9 arrival to clt) I was given a hold 'as published' due to WX in clt area. I notified dispatcher of hold, fuel on board, etc. I requested gso be established as possible alternate. I received confirmation of gso as alternate and fuel burn clt/gso of 3200 pounds. The hold at magic was canceled prior to magic and we were turned as vector to final approach to clt runway 18R. At approximately 10 mi out, tower advised me the surface wind of 010 degrees at 10 KTS. I asked for continuous wind readout. At approximately 1000 ft, tower advised wind of 360 degrees at 12 KTS (maximum tailwind component for my aircraft is 10 KTS). I directed my first officer (PF) to abandon the approach. We were switched to departure control frequency. We were given a heading of 230 degrees at 4000 ft. I asked if the runways would be switched and was told 'we're working on it.' as we proceeded southwest, the first officer and I discussed gsp as a possible alternate for fuel. At approximately 20 mi southwest of clt, we were turned back toward clt to hold on the clt 270 degree radial at 15 DME while a small thunderstorm cell passed. Clt airport itself was VMC, winds calm -- the runways were not switched. As the first officer and I discussed diverting to alternate, we were turned north for vectors to final for clt runway 18R. We were switched to approach control. I asked for 'expeditious handling due to fuel.' we were told we were #7 in line but that approach control would 'do his best' to turn us in. I determined that the fuel burn of being #7 in line, approach fuel, possible missed approach fuel, fuel burn to gso our alternate, into uncertain WX conditions would leave me with only reserve fuel. This was unsatisfactory in my view. I declared an emergency due to fuel for immediate handling. We were turned in and the aircraft landed at clt and the aircraft secured. 6500 pounds fuel on board at landing, 6100 pounds at the gate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 FLC MAKES A MISSED APCH WHEN THE WINDS FROM TSTM ACTIVITY ARE UNFAVORABLE FOR LNDG AND LATER, AFTER TFC DELAYS, DECLARE A FUEL EMER FOR PRIORITY HANDLING TO A LNDG AT CLT, NC.

Narrative: FLT XX WAS DISPATCHED BOS TO CLT. GATE RELEASE FUEL 22000 LBS MINIMUM TKOF FUEL 20500 LBS ACTUAL TKOF FUEL 21400 LBS. FLT DISPATCHED WITH NO ALTERNATE AS FORECAST WX AT CLT WAS VMC. ENRTE, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT TSTMS WERE DEVELOPING NW OF GSP. PRIOR TO MAGIC (MAGIC 9 ARR TO CLT) I WAS GIVEN A HOLD 'AS PUBLISHED' DUE TO WX IN CLT AREA. I NOTIFIED DISPATCHER OF HOLD, FUEL ON BOARD, ETC. I REQUESTED GSO BE ESTABLISHED AS POSSIBLE ALTERNATE. I RECEIVED CONFIRMATION OF GSO AS ALTERNATE AND FUEL BURN CLT/GSO OF 3200 LBS. THE HOLD AT MAGIC WAS CANCELED PRIOR TO MAGIC AND WE WERE TURNED AS VECTOR TO FINAL APCH TO CLT RWY 18R. AT APPROX 10 MI OUT, TWR ADVISED ME THE SURFACE WIND OF 010 DEGS AT 10 KTS. I ASKED FOR CONTINUOUS WIND READOUT. AT APPROX 1000 FT, TWR ADVISED WIND OF 360 DEGS AT 12 KTS (MAX TAILWIND COMPONENT FOR MY ACFT IS 10 KTS). I DIRECTED MY FO (PF) TO ABANDON THE APCH. WE WERE SWITCHED TO DEP CTL FREQ. WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 230 DEGS AT 4000 FT. I ASKED IF THE RWYS WOULD BE SWITCHED AND WAS TOLD 'WE'RE WORKING ON IT.' AS WE PROCEEDED SW, THE FO AND I DISCUSSED GSP AS A POSSIBLE ALTERNATE FOR FUEL. AT APPROX 20 MI SW OF CLT, WE WERE TURNED BACK TOWARD CLT TO HOLD ON THE CLT 270 DEG RADIAL AT 15 DME WHILE A SMALL TSTM CELL PASSED. CLT ARPT ITSELF WAS VMC, WINDS CALM -- THE RWYS WERE NOT SWITCHED. AS THE FO AND I DISCUSSED DIVERTING TO ALTERNATE, WE WERE TURNED N FOR VECTORS TO FINAL FOR CLT RWY 18R. WE WERE SWITCHED TO APCH CTL. I ASKED FOR 'EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING DUE TO FUEL.' WE WERE TOLD WE WERE #7 IN LINE BUT THAT APCH CTL WOULD 'DO HIS BEST' TO TURN US IN. I DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL BURN OF BEING #7 IN LINE, APCH FUEL, POSSIBLE MISSED APCH FUEL, FUEL BURN TO GSO OUR ALTERNATE, INTO UNCERTAIN WX CONDITIONS WOULD LEAVE ME WITH ONLY RESERVE FUEL. THIS WAS UNSATISFACTORY IN MY VIEW. I DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO FUEL FOR IMMEDIATE HANDLING. WE WERE TURNED IN AND THE ACFT LANDED AT CLT AND THE ACFT SECURED. 6500 LBS FUEL ON BOARD AT LNDG, 6100 LBS AT THE GATE.

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.

A B737-400 flight crew makes a missed approach when the winds from thunderstorm activity are unfavorable for landing and later, after traffic delays, declare a fuel emergency for priority handling to a landing at clt, nc.