Narrative:

On departure from dtw with sufficient fuel on board to arrive at mdw, hold at mdw for 15 mins, divert to my alternate at mke, and then continue at normal cruise speed for 45 mins as per 14 crash fire rescue equipment far 135.233. Approximately 60 NM from mdw, WX conditions did not meet published minimums for any approach there. My company dispatch requested I hold as long as I could for mdw before going to mke. I told them I could hold for 10 mins. ZAU issued a holding clearance over pivot intersection and climb to 6000 ft. Prior to arriving at pivot, it was determined by my company dispatch that ord met minimums to execute approachs on ILS runway 9R and we were to go to ord if able. After making a request for ord, ZAU handed me off to ord approach with my request. Ord approach issued a clearance direct to ord VOR descend to 4000 ft and expect vectors to ILS runway 9R approach course. Passing ord, I was given a vector and told to expect a holding clearance on the localizer over carle intersection as runway 9R was closed for 10 mins for snow removal. At XA23, I received this holding clearance with an efc of XA40 and 10 mi legs. At this point I was #3 for the airport behind 2 heavy aircraft. At XA37 I was vectored out of the hold in sequence to the approach behind other aircraft that had arrived after I began the hold. At XA45 I was 5 NM from carle intersection cleared for the ILS runway 9R into ord and to contact tower at deana FAF. After switching to tower, I heard the tower controller trying to help a disoriented aircraft with their location and requested their destination. After sending this aircraft on his way, I was issued a landing clearance. Tower was unable to determine the status of this aircraft possibly on the runway and canceled my landing clearance. I was issued go around instructions returned to the approach controller. Shortly after this, ord runway 9R was closed for an unknown reason. I requested immediate vectors for mke. I was given climb instructions to 6000 ft and 7000 ft and directed to mke. I declared an emergency fuel status to preserve my priority for the airport and to guard against any further complications that could lead to fuel exhaustion. My fuel planning required and I carried at least 2 hours 45 mins of fuel. Despite adequately meeting the fuel planning requirements of far parts 91 and 135, a deeper appreciation and consideration for potential obstacles along the route of flight and unexpected maneuvers such as unanticipated needs for altitude and airspeed changes could have avoided this emergency situation. Also, a more proactive and assertive stance as PIC could have had more desirable results sooner rather than later by standing firm on the decision to continue on to mke should mdw WX not allow an approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA31 PLT, ARRIVING MKE, DECLARED A LOW FUEL EMER AFTER SEVERAL UNEXPECTED DELAYS.

Narrative: ON DEP FROM DTW WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL ON BOARD TO ARRIVE AT MDW, HOLD AT MDW FOR 15 MINS, DIVERT TO MY ALTERNATE AT MKE, AND THEN CONTINUE AT NORMAL CRUISE SPD FOR 45 MINS AS PER 14 CFR FAR 135.233. APPROX 60 NM FROM MDW, WX CONDITIONS DID NOT MEET PUBLISHED MINIMUMS FOR ANY APCH THERE. MY COMPANY DISPATCH REQUESTED I HOLD AS LONG AS I COULD FOR MDW BEFORE GOING TO MKE. I TOLD THEM I COULD HOLD FOR 10 MINS. ZAU ISSUED A HOLDING CLRNC OVER PIVOT INTXN AND CLB TO 6000 FT. PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT PIVOT, IT WAS DETERMINED BY MY COMPANY DISPATCH THAT ORD MET MINIMUMS TO EXECUTE APCHS ON ILS RWY 9R AND WE WERE TO GO TO ORD IF ABLE. AFTER MAKING A REQUEST FOR ORD, ZAU HANDED ME OFF TO ORD APCH WITH MY REQUEST. ORD APCH ISSUED A CLRNC DIRECT TO ORD VOR DSND TO 4000 FT AND EXPECT VECTORS TO ILS RWY 9R APCH COURSE. PASSING ORD, I WAS GIVEN A VECTOR AND TOLD TO EXPECT A HOLDING CLRNC ON THE LOC OVER CARLE INTXN AS RWY 9R WAS CLOSED FOR 10 MINS FOR SNOW REMOVAL. AT XA23, I RECEIVED THIS HOLDING CLRNC WITH AN EFC OF XA40 AND 10 MI LEGS. AT THIS POINT I WAS #3 FOR THE ARPT BEHIND 2 HVY ACFT. AT XA37 I WAS VECTORED OUT OF THE HOLD IN SEQUENCE TO THE APCH BEHIND OTHER ACFT THAT HAD ARRIVED AFTER I BEGAN THE HOLD. AT XA45 I WAS 5 NM FROM CARLE INTXN CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 9R INTO ORD AND TO CONTACT TWR AT DEANA FAF. AFTER SWITCHING TO TWR, I HEARD THE TWR CTLR TRYING TO HELP A DISORIENTED ACFT WITH THEIR LOCATION AND REQUESTED THEIR DEST. AFTER SENDING THIS ACFT ON HIS WAY, I WAS ISSUED A LNDG CLRNC. TWR WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THIS ACFT POSSIBLY ON THE RWY AND CANCELED MY LNDG CLRNC. I WAS ISSUED GAR INSTRUCTIONS RETURNED TO THE APCH CTLR. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, ORD RWY 9R WAS CLOSED FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. I REQUESTED IMMEDIATE VECTORS FOR MKE. I WAS GIVEN CLB INSTRUCTIONS TO 6000 FT AND 7000 FT AND DIRECTED TO MKE. I DECLARED AN EMER FUEL STATUS TO PRESERVE MY PRIORITY FOR THE ARPT AND TO GUARD AGAINST ANY FURTHER COMPLICATIONS THAT COULD LEAD TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. MY FUEL PLANNING REQUIRED AND I CARRIED AT LEAST 2 HRS 45 MINS OF FUEL. DESPITE ADEQUATELY MEETING THE FUEL PLANNING REQUIREMENTS OF FAR PARTS 91 AND 135, A DEEPER APPRECIATION AND CONSIDERATION FOR POTENTIAL OBSTACLES ALONG THE RTE OF FLT AND UNEXPECTED MANEUVERS SUCH AS UNANTICIPATED NEEDS FOR ALT AND AIRSPD CHANGES COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS EMER SIT. ALSO, A MORE PROACTIVE AND ASSERTIVE STANCE AS PIC COULD HAVE HAD MORE DESIRABLE RESULTS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER BY STANDING FIRM ON THE DECISION TO CONTINUE ON TO MKE SHOULD MDW WX NOT ALLOW AN APCH.

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.