Narrative:

Arrived at btr after large thunderstorm passed through. I had FAA minimum fuel (45 mins) on board. ATC instructed a speed reduction to follow C150 for landing. Airport lights on main runway 13/31 were inoperative at time of arrival. ATC instructed to land on runway 4R. As I was abeam of airport, lights on runway 13/31 came on. I requested to land runway 31 and was given permission but instructed to follow C150. In landing confign, L39 fuel burn goes drastically up. Since thunderstorms were in area and fuel burn was high and I was instructed to pass airport on extended downwind for runway 31, I became concerned that if I were out on a long final and an obstruction, thunderstorms, came between airport and me, I would not have enough fuel to divert to another airport. Also, if lights on runway 31 failed again then to circle airport back to runway 4R would have put aircraft in 'fuel emergency' situation. I therefore decided to tell ATC I was 'fuel critical.' I was put first in line to land. Police and fire were dispatched unbeknownst to me. After reading regulation, I realized I should have said 'minimum fuel,' but at no time had I thought I declared an emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN L39 PLT DECLARED 'FUEL CRITICAL' MEANING 'MINIMUM FUEL' TO GET PRIORITY IN LNDG BECAUSE OF A LOW FUEL SIT. TWR DISPATCHES CFR.

Narrative: ARRIVED AT BTR AFTER LARGE TSTM PASSED THROUGH. I HAD FAA MINIMUM FUEL (45 MINS) ON BOARD. ATC INSTRUCTED A SPD REDUCTION TO FOLLOW C150 FOR LNDG. ARPT LIGHTS ON MAIN RWY 13/31 WERE INOP AT TIME OF ARR. ATC INSTRUCTED TO LAND ON RWY 4R. AS I WAS ABEAM OF ARPT, LIGHTS ON RWY 13/31 CAME ON. I REQUESTED TO LAND RWY 31 AND WAS GIVEN PERMISSION BUT INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW C150. IN LNDG CONFIGN, L39 FUEL BURN GOES DRASTICALLY UP. SINCE TSTMS WERE IN AREA AND FUEL BURN WAS HIGH AND I WAS INSTRUCTED TO PASS ARPT ON EXTENDED DOWNWIND FOR RWY 31, I BECAME CONCERNED THAT IF I WERE OUT ON A LONG FINAL AND AN OBSTRUCTION, TSTMS, CAME BTWN ARPT AND ME, I WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO DIVERT TO ANOTHER ARPT. ALSO, IF LIGHTS ON RWY 31 FAILED AGAIN THEN TO CIRCLE ARPT BACK TO RWY 4R WOULD HAVE PUT ACFT IN 'FUEL EMER' SIT. I THEREFORE DECIDED TO TELL ATC I WAS 'FUEL CRITICAL.' I WAS PUT FIRST IN LINE TO LAND. POLICE AND FIRE WERE DISPATCHED UNBEKNOWNST TO ME. AFTER READING REG, I REALIZED I SHOULD HAVE SAID 'MINIMUM FUEL,' BUT AT NO TIME HAD I THOUGHT I 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.