Narrative:

While on an IFR flight plan from tncm (st maarten) to atl the following incident occurred. At about XA40 we were approaching the sinca intersection on the sinca 3 arrival and assigned holding instructions to hold at sinca with an efc of XB00. Just prior to XB00 we received vectors to the ILS to runway 8L. At that time we had about 1800 pounds of fuel remaining. We advised the approach controller that due to low fuel reserves that we could accept no further delays on the approach. He advised that we could expect vectors to intercept the localizer on a 21 mi final. We were switched to another approach frequency and we again advised the new controller that we could not accept any delays due to low fuel reserves. He acknowledged in the affirmative. We continued the approach and received a frequency change to the atl tower controller near the OM to runway 8L. At that time we had about 1400 pounds of fuel remaining. Next the tower controller said we were too close to the aircraft ahead and to turn left to heading 360 degrees for vectors to another approach. We told him we were unable due to low fuel reserves. He allowed us to continue and land and vectored the aircraft ahead of us to go around. We landed with safe fuel reserves. The tower controller advised me to call the approach supervisor to discuss this incident. I called the approach supervisor to explain my actions. He advised me that to respond to the controller that we were unable to go around was 'not an option' and that we should have declared an emergency in the beginning of the approach. I apologized for causing him a problem. I never thought we had an emergency to declare so long as we did not receive any further delays. Had I accepted the command to go around, we would then be forced into a low fuel condition and be left with few or no options but to land on the second approach regardless of the runway condition.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FA20 EXPERIENCED LOW FUEL DURING APCH TO ATL.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM TNCM (ST MAARTEN) TO ATL THE FOLLOWING INCIDENT OCCURRED. AT ABOUT XA40 WE WERE APCHING THE SINCA INTXN ON THE SINCA 3 ARR AND ASSIGNED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD AT SINCA WITH AN EFC OF XB00. JUST PRIOR TO XB00 WE RECEIVED VECTORS TO THE ILS TO RWY 8L. AT THAT TIME WE HAD ABOUT 1800 LBS OF FUEL REMAINING. WE ADVISED THE APCH CTLR THAT DUE TO LOW FUEL RESERVES THAT WE COULD ACCEPT NO FURTHER DELAYS ON THE APCH. HE ADVISED THAT WE COULD EXPECT VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE LOC ON A 21 MI FINAL. WE WERE SWITCHED TO ANOTHER APCH FREQ AND WE AGAIN ADVISED THE NEW CTLR THAT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT ANY DELAYS DUE TO LOW FUEL RESERVES. HE ACKNOWLEDGED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE TO THE ATL TWR CTLR NEAR THE OM TO RWY 8L. AT THAT TIME WE HAD ABOUT 1400 LBS OF FUEL REMAINING. NEXT THE TWR CTLR SAID WE WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE ACFT AHEAD AND TO TURN L TO HEADING 360 DEGS FOR VECTORS TO ANOTHER APCH. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE UNABLE DUE TO LOW FUEL RESERVES. HE ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE AND LAND AND VECTORED THE ACFT AHEAD OF US TO GO AROUND. WE LANDED WITH SAFE FUEL RESERVES. THE TWR CTLR ADVISED ME TO CALL THE APCH SUPVR TO DISCUSS THIS INCIDENT. I CALLED THE APCH SUPVR TO EXPLAIN MY ACTIONS. HE ADVISED ME THAT TO RESPOND TO THE CTLR THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO GO AROUND WAS 'NOT AN OPTION' AND THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER IN THE BEGINNING OF THE APCH. I APOLOGIZED FOR CAUSING HIM A PROB. I NEVER THOUGHT WE HAD AN EMER TO DECLARE SO LONG AS WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FURTHER DELAYS. HAD I ACCEPTED THE COMMAND TO GO AROUND, WE WOULD THEN BE FORCED INTO A LOW FUEL CONDITION AND BE LEFT WITH FEW OR NO OPTIONS BUT TO LAND ON THE SECOND APCH REGARDLESS OF THE RWY CONDITION.

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.