A320 crew got trapped with long vectors and terminal delays, and was required to declare a fuel emer...

Attributes
ACN	637780
Time
Date	200411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz1.tracon tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : holding descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : n/a
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	637780
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 215 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	638186
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel quantity indicators other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Company Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Excessive delays into ZZZ. ZZZ2 was planned alternate. Got to minimum fuel and said so to approach control. Dispatch used his authority/authorized to name ZZZ3 as alternate airport. More excessive vectors. 34 mi final to runway 19L. Then runway 19L was closed because of FOD. Not enough fuel to hold or get to ZZZ3 with far 45 min reserve fuel. Declared fuel emergency. Was given priority and vectored to runway 19R. Landed uneventfully. Fuel on board at touchdown was 3900 pounds. Supplemental information from acn 638186: flight planned in accordance with new fuel policy. We received numerous extended vectors on the STAR arrival. Despite changing our alternate from ZZZ2 to ZZZ3, the vectors burned too much fuel and we declared minimum fuel to indicate we could accept little or no delay. On downwind to runway 19L, our calculations showed we had enough fuel (far legal with ZZZ3 as the alternate) for the long downwind they were providing. However, after turning a 30 mi final and were inbound, things looked much different. We realized we no longer had the fuel to go to ZZZ3 and still have our 45 mins. We decided the safe and prudent thing to do was to land at ZZZ. While on final to runway 19L the runway was closed after a bird strike. We declared emergency fuel for landing priority. After several calls (5, I believe), approach finally acknowledged our emergency and gave us approach clearance to runway 19R. Landed uneventfully with 3900 pounds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW GOT TRAPPED WITH LONG VECTORS AND TERMINAL DELAYS, AND WAS REQUIRED TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER.

Narrative: EXCESSIVE DELAYS INTO ZZZ. ZZZ2 WAS PLANNED ALTERNATE. GOT TO MINIMUM FUEL AND SAID SO TO APCH CTL. DISPATCH USED HIS AUTH TO NAME ZZZ3 AS ALTERNATE ARPT. MORE EXCESSIVE VECTORS. 34 MI FINAL TO RWY 19L. THEN RWY 19L WAS CLOSED BECAUSE OF FOD. NOT ENOUGH FUEL TO HOLD OR GET TO ZZZ3 WITH FAR 45 MIN RESERVE FUEL. DECLARED FUEL EMER. WAS GIVEN PRIORITY AND VECTORED TO RWY 19R. LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. FUEL ON BOARD AT TOUCHDOWN WAS 3900 LBS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 638186: FLT PLANNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH NEW FUEL POLICY. WE RECEIVED NUMEROUS EXTENDED VECTORS ON THE STAR ARR. DESPITE CHANGING OUR ALTERNATE FROM ZZZ2 TO ZZZ3, THE VECTORS BURNED TOO MUCH FUEL AND WE DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL TO INDICATE WE COULD ACCEPT LITTLE OR NO DELAY. ON DOWNWIND TO RWY 19L, OUR CALCULATIONS SHOWED WE HAD ENOUGH FUEL (FAR LEGAL WITH ZZZ3 AS THE ALTERNATE) FOR THE LONG DOWNWIND THEY WERE PROVIDING. HOWEVER, AFTER TURNING A 30 MI FINAL AND WERE INBOUND, THINGS LOOKED MUCH DIFFERENT. WE REALIZED WE NO LONGER HAD THE FUEL TO GO TO ZZZ3 AND STILL HAVE OUR 45 MINS. WE DECIDED THE SAFE AND PRUDENT THING TO DO WAS TO LAND AT ZZZ. WHILE ON FINAL TO RWY 19L THE RWY WAS CLOSED AFTER A BIRD STRIKE. WE DECLARED EMER FUEL FOR LNDG PRIORITY. AFTER SEVERAL CALLS (5, I BELIEVE), APCH FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED OUR EMER AND GAVE US APCH CLRNC TO RWY 19R. LANDED UNEVENTFULLY WITH 3900 LBS.

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.

A320 crew got trapped with long vectors and terminal delays, and was required to declare a fuel emergency.