Narrative:

We departed tyq IFR for eri. WX at departure airport was IMC. We departed and uneventfully climbed to our assigned altitude of 7000 ft. At 7000 ft; we were on top of solid clouds; with some mist and indistinct tops. The flight proceeded uneventfully to eri. During the flight; the ceiling and visibility decreased dramatically; and it became apparent that we would have to make an approach to minimums at eri. After being cleared for the approach; and conducting the approach to minimums; we executed a missed approach. After considering our options; I decided to attempt to land further inland at jhw; approximately 40 mi east of eri. By the time we neared jamestown; it became apparent that the conditions at jhw were no better; and because the approach would have to be made in a non radar environment; I decided to attempt to reach buf; a larger airport approximately 50 mi north of jhw. At that time; we realized that our fuel reserves had diminished to a critical situation. We declared an emergency with the buffalo controllers; and were given priority handling. We were able to complete an approach to minimums at buffalo; landed uneventfully; and taxied off the runway to parking. The problem arose from the critical fuel situation after reaching our alternate. Contributing factors were the deterioration of WX conditions at our apt of intended landing; the decision to try to land at jhw; and the delay in selecting buf as our destination airport. My mistaken assumption that the WX inland would be better caused me to select jhw as the alternate. More careful attention to WX changes as our flight progressed; and the immediate selection of buf as the more desirable alternate after the first missed approach would have prevented the problem. The additional pressure of having completed the missed approach contributed to the dilemma.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INST RATED PVT PLT OF C172 FINDS HIS DEST AND ALTERNATE ARPTS BELOW MINIMUMS. DECLARES LOW FUEL EMER AND DIVERTS TO BUF.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED TYQ IFR FOR ERI. WX AT DEP ARPT WAS IMC. WE DEPARTED AND UNEVENTFULLY CLBED TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT. AT 7000 FT; WE WERE ON TOP OF SOLID CLOUDS; WITH SOME MIST AND INDISTINCT TOPS. THE FLT PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY TO ERI. DURING THE FLT; THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY DECREASED DRAMATICALLY; AND IT BECAME APPARENT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE AN APCH TO MINIMUMS AT ERI. AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH; AND CONDUCTING THE APCH TO MINIMUMS; WE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH. AFTER CONSIDERING OUR OPTIONS; I DECIDED TO ATTEMPT TO LAND FURTHER INLAND AT JHW; APPROX 40 MI E OF ERI. BY THE TIME WE NEARED JAMESTOWN; IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE CONDITIONS AT JHW WERE NO BETTER; AND BECAUSE THE APCH WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE IN A NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT; I DECIDED TO ATTEMPT TO REACH BUF; A LARGER ARPT APPROX 50 MI N OF JHW. AT THAT TIME; WE REALIZED THAT OUR FUEL RESERVES HAD DIMINISHED TO A CRITICAL SIT. WE DECLARED AN EMER WITH THE BUFFALO CTLRS; AND WERE GIVEN PRIORITY HANDLING. WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE AN APCH TO MINIMUMS AT BUFFALO; LANDED UNEVENTFULLY; AND TAXIED OFF THE RWY TO PARKING. THE PROB AROSE FROM THE CRITICAL FUEL SIT AFTER REACHING OUR ALTERNATE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE DETERIORATION OF WX CONDITIONS AT OUR APT OF INTENDED LNDG; THE DECISION TO TRY TO LAND AT JHW; AND THE DELAY IN SELECTING BUF AS OUR DEST ARPT. MY MISTAKEN ASSUMPTION THAT THE WX INLAND WOULD BE BETTER CAUSED ME TO SELECT JHW AS THE ALTERNATE. MORE CAREFUL ATTN TO WX CHANGES AS OUR FLT PROGRESSED; AND THE IMMEDIATE SELECTION OF BUF AS THE MORE DESIRABLE ALTERNATE AFTER THE FIRST MISSED APCH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PROB. THE ADDITIONAL PRESSURE OF HAVING COMPLETED THE MISSED APCH CONTRIBUTED TO THE DILEMMA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.