Narrative:

I was vectored off the milton STAR into lga. Received numerous vectors amid a very heavy stream of traffic and was slowed to 170 KIAS, which requires flaps 10 degrees. I had to ask/remind the controller for a descent from 7000 ft to 4000 ft, beyond the point where this descent is normally given. The controller used some valuable air time berating me, then vectored a flight in front of me. 3 xmissions regarding my low fuel state went unanswered. He then began vectoring me west and did not answer my question regarding his plan or the duration of the vector. He then told me he was going to resequence me. I told him I was low on fuel and could not accept a long resequence, but he did not reply. I declared a fuel emergency and landed at lga. Controller was busy. Supplemental information from acn 636058: the captain declared an emergency for fuel and was vectored to dials for the visual runway 31 into lga. Concern for traffic saturation and unknown length of delay were the concern for declaring an emergency. Callback conversation with reporter acn 636058 revealed the following information: reporter stated they were on a short flight from dca to lga. After takeoff and contacting ZNY ARTCC, they advised the controller they would be a little tight on fuel if they received a lengthy delay. While on the milton arrival into lga and in contact with new york TRACON, they were put on radar vectors for sequencing. They advised the controller several times that they had a fuel state and how much vectoring to expect. The crew declared a fuel emergency and were given a visual approach direct to the airport. He said the captain had a long discussion with the TRACON supervisor who said he would investigate the incident. The reporter said as a result of this incident, both pilots were pulled off their rotation for about 1 week and given check rides. He said an article was written describing this incident and stating airline companies are loading aircraft with less fuel causing already overworked controllers more work handling fuel emergencys.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW LNDG LGA IN A LOW FUEL STATE ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO ASK THE APCH CTLR ABOUT LENGTH OF VECTOR TO THE ARPT. CREW FINALLY DECLARED FUEL EMER AND WERE GIVEN VECTORS TO LGA ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS VECTORED OFF THE MILTON STAR INTO LGA. RECEIVED NUMEROUS VECTORS AMID A VERY HVY STREAM OF TFC AND WAS SLOWED TO 170 KIAS, WHICH REQUIRES FLAPS 10 DEGS. I HAD TO ASK/REMIND THE CTLR FOR A DSCNT FROM 7000 FT TO 4000 FT, BEYOND THE POINT WHERE THIS DSCNT IS NORMALLY GIVEN. THE CTLR USED SOME VALUABLE AIR TIME BERATING ME, THEN VECTORED A FLT IN FRONT OF ME. 3 XMISSIONS REGARDING MY LOW FUEL STATE WENT UNANSWERED. HE THEN BEGAN VECTORING ME W AND DID NOT ANSWER MY QUESTION REGARDING HIS PLAN OR THE DURATION OF THE VECTOR. HE THEN TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO RESEQUENCE ME. I TOLD HIM I WAS LOW ON FUEL AND COULD NOT ACCEPT A LONG RESEQUENCE, BUT HE DID NOT REPLY. I DECLARED A FUEL EMER AND LANDED AT LGA. CTLR WAS BUSY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 636058: THE CAPT DECLARED AN EMER FOR FUEL AND WAS VECTORED TO DIALS FOR THE VISUAL RWY 31 INTO LGA. CONCERN FOR TFC SATURATION AND UNKNOWN LENGTH OF DELAY WERE THE CONCERN FOR DECLARING AN EMER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 636058 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THEY WERE ON A SHORT FLT FROM DCA TO LGA. AFTER TKOF AND CONTACTING ZNY ARTCC, THEY ADVISED THE CTLR THEY WOULD BE A LITTLE TIGHT ON FUEL IF THEY RECEIVED A LENGTHY DELAY. WHILE ON THE MILTON ARR INTO LGA AND IN CONTACT WITH NEW YORK TRACON, THEY WERE PUT ON RADAR VECTORS FOR SEQUENCING. THEY ADVISED THE CTLR SEVERAL TIMES THAT THEY HAD A FUEL STATE AND HOW MUCH VECTORING TO EXPECT. THE CREW DECLARED A FUEL EMER AND WERE GIVEN A VISUAL APCH DIRECT TO THE ARPT. HE SAID THE CAPT HAD A LONG DISCUSSION WITH THE TRACON SUPVR WHO SAID HE WOULD INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT. THE RPTR SAID AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT, BOTH PLTS WERE PULLED OFF THEIR ROTATION FOR ABOUT 1 WK AND GIVEN CHK RIDES. HE SAID AN ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN DESCRIBING THIS INCIDENT AND STATING AIRLINE COMPANIES ARE LOADING ACFT WITH LESS FUEL CAUSING ALREADY OVERWORKED CTLRS MORE WORK HANDLING FUEL EMERS.

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.