A300 airbus flight crew has low fuel state; diverts and declares an emergency to ensure priority.

Attributes
ACN	703720
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon tower : anc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : holding descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	703720
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather ATC Human Performance Aircraft Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was PF. As we approached ZZZ1 we were advised that WX was passing the airport. Approach cleared us to an intersection for a possible hold. Fuel on board approximately 18600 pounds. We entered hold and did 2 turns in the pattern and was issued a vector for the ILS runway 22L approach at ZZZ1. At approximately 1500 ft we were advised that the wind on the airport was 010 degrees gusting to 29 KTS. We executed a missed approach and were informed that we are now #1 on a vector for a visual approach to runway 31L. We were vectored at altitudes between 3000-4000 ft. Subsequently; we were informed that ZZZ1 tower could not accept us on runway 31L and vectors continued in visual conditions to runway 4R. We were vectored to the approach twice and were informed that we were #1. During our vectoring; we informed ATC that we were approaching minimum fuel: 1.9 minimum fuel. 1) if fuel quantity reaches a state whereupon reaching destination an undue delay cannot be accepted; advise ATC of minimum fuel status. This is not a declaration of emergency; but an advisory that indicates an emergency situation is possible should any undue delay occur. ATC then informed us the ZZZ1 tower was 'gridlocked' and was not accepting arrs. We informed ZZZ1 TRACON that we needed to divert to ZZZ. The TRACON was aware that now we were in a minimum fuel state. As we were handed off to ZZZ arrs; it was apparent that the controller was swamped. We quickly became aware the controller was handling 3 fuel emergencys ahead of us. Not being able to accept any additional delay as we were being vectored away from the airport; I decided the safest and most prudent course of action was to declare a fuel emergency. 2) if fuel quantity requires traffic priority to ensure a safe landing; an emergency should be declared; and fuel aboard; in mins; should be reported to ATC. We were immediately cleared for a visual approach to runway 22R; the flight landed without incident. We arrived on the deck with 6000 pounds of fuel on board.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 AIRBUS FLT CREW HAS LOW FUEL STATE; DIVERTS AND DECLARES AN EMER TO ENSURE PRIORITY.

Narrative: I WAS PF. AS WE APCHED ZZZ1 WE WERE ADVISED THAT WX WAS PASSING THE ARPT. APCH CLRED US TO AN INTXN FOR A POSSIBLE HOLD. FUEL ON BOARD APPROX 18600 LBS. WE ENTERED HOLD AND DID 2 TURNS IN THE PATTERN AND WAS ISSUED A VECTOR FOR THE ILS RWY 22L APCH AT ZZZ1. AT APPROX 1500 FT WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE WIND ON THE ARPT WAS 010 DEGS GUSTING TO 29 KTS. WE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH AND WERE INFORMED THAT WE ARE NOW #1 ON A VECTOR FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 31L. WE WERE VECTORED AT ALTS BTWN 3000-4000 FT. SUBSEQUENTLY; WE WERE INFORMED THAT ZZZ1 TWR COULD NOT ACCEPT US ON RWY 31L AND VECTORS CONTINUED IN VISUAL CONDITIONS TO RWY 4R. WE WERE VECTORED TO THE APCH TWICE AND WERE INFORMED THAT WE WERE #1. DURING OUR VECTORING; WE INFORMED ATC THAT WE WERE APCHING MINIMUM FUEL: 1.9 MINIMUM FUEL. 1) IF FUEL QUANTITY REACHES A STATE WHEREUPON REACHING DEST AN UNDUE DELAY CANNOT BE ACCEPTED; ADVISE ATC OF MINIMUM FUEL STATUS. THIS IS NOT A DECLARATION OF EMER; BUT AN ADVISORY THAT INDICATES AN EMER SITUATION IS POSSIBLE SHOULD ANY UNDUE DELAY OCCUR. ATC THEN INFORMED US THE ZZZ1 TWR WAS 'GRIDLOCKED' AND WAS NOT ACCEPTING ARRS. WE INFORMED ZZZ1 TRACON THAT WE NEEDED TO DIVERT TO ZZZ. THE TRACON WAS AWARE THAT NOW WE WERE IN A MINIMUM FUEL STATE. AS WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ZZZ ARRS; IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE CTLR WAS SWAMPED. WE QUICKLY BECAME AWARE THE CTLR WAS HANDLING 3 FUEL EMERS AHEAD OF US. NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCEPT ANY ADDITIONAL DELAY AS WE WERE BEING VECTORED AWAY FROM THE ARPT; I DECIDED THE SAFEST AND MOST PRUDENT COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER. 2) IF FUEL QUANTITY REQUIRES TFC PRIORITY TO ENSURE A SAFE LNDG; AN EMER SHOULD BE DECLARED; AND FUEL ABOARD; IN MINS; SHOULD BE RPTED TO ATC. WE WERE IMMEDIATELY CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 22R; THE FLT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE ARRIVED ON THE DECK WITH 6000 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD.

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.