Narrative:

Our divert and minimum fuel situation started with a runway closure at geg. As we entered downwind for the ILS to runway 21 geg, an emergency aircraft landed on and closed the runway. Initially, not knowing how long it would be closed we entered holding at phort. After 1 turn in holding with sufficient WX, we executed the ILS in order to circle to land runway 25. We did not have enough visual cues and executed a go around at the missed approach. At this point, a commuter aircraft attempted an opposite direction approach and we got vectors west of the field, waiting to see if he was successful. At this point, we got dispatch involved and calculated a divert fuel for boi. The opposite direction approach was unsuccessful and approach control extended the closure time to 30-40 more mins. At this point, we began our divert to boi, then got redirected to sea by dispatch. The initial FMC fuels showed arrival at sea with just over 4000 pounds, but a slight delay at a lower than expected altitude for traffic dropped our arrival fuel to 3900 pounds. Per fom direction we were minimum fuel and declared it at that point. With no other delays, we landed at sea with 4000 pounds of fuel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-500 CREW, ARRIVING GEG, DECLARED A 'MINIMUM FUEL' SIT DUE TO RWY CLOSURE AND EXCESSIVE HOLDING.

Narrative: OUR DIVERT AND MINIMUM FUEL SIT STARTED WITH A RWY CLOSURE AT GEG. AS WE ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR THE ILS TO RWY 21 GEG, AN EMER ACFT LANDED ON AND CLOSED THE RWY. INITIALLY, NOT KNOWING HOW LONG IT WOULD BE CLOSED WE ENTERED HOLDING AT PHORT. AFTER 1 TURN IN HOLDING WITH SUFFICIENT WX, WE EXECUTED THE ILS IN ORDER TO CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 25. WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH VISUAL CUES AND EXECUTED A GAR AT THE MISSED APCH. AT THIS POINT, A COMMUTER ACFT ATTEMPTED AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION APCH AND WE GOT VECTORS W OF THE FIELD, WAITING TO SEE IF HE WAS SUCCESSFUL. AT THIS POINT, WE GOT DISPATCH INVOLVED AND CALCULATED A DIVERT FUEL FOR BOI. THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION APCH WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND APCH CTL EXTENDED THE CLOSURE TIME TO 30-40 MORE MINS. AT THIS POINT, WE BEGAN OUR DIVERT TO BOI, THEN GOT REDIRECTED TO SEA BY DISPATCH. THE INITIAL FMC FUELS SHOWED ARR AT SEA WITH JUST OVER 4000 LBS, BUT A SLIGHT DELAY AT A LOWER THAN EXPECTED ALT FOR TFC DROPPED OUR ARR FUEL TO 3900 LBS. PER FOM DIRECTION WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL AND DECLARED IT AT THAT POINT. WITH NO OTHER DELAYS, WE LANDED AT SEA WITH 4000 LBS OF FUEL.

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.