Narrative:

Dispatched under alternate exemption. Marginal WX at jfk. An extra 2.5 of fuel was added for ATC/turbulence. During approach at 3000 ft; air carrier declared emergency and was given priority. We were vectored extensively. Finally cleared approach runway 31L. Visibility dropped to 2000 ft RVR (2400 ft required) CAT I. Go around was required. During the go around we experienced a thump sound and felt it on the aircraft controls. Visibility was better for runway 31L. We declared 'minimum fuel.' at this point we had 6.6 on the fuel (at top of descent we had 10.3). Conducted a CAT I uneventful approach to minimums. Landed with 5.9 fuel. Please take note we had no planned alternate. WX at all 3 new york area airports was marginal. The entire new york area was saturated with airplanes due to WX. Had we missed a second time at jfk we would've had more vectoring for either ewr or lga. Supplemental information from acn 716215: I'm writing this to illustrate the weakness in air carrier use of exemption for flight planning purposes and alternate planning. We were flight planned without an alternate; using this exemption (otherwise known as the 1-1-2 rule). En route; jfk WX deteriorated; and runways were switched. Exemption no longer applied; as new runways were not CAT ii/III capable. Conferred on options; and consulted with dispatch who suggested swf as alternate. On approach; after lendy STAR; we received numerous and lengthy vectors to allow another carrier emergency aircraft priority. This was at low altitude and low airspeed. Anyway; air carrier's use of exemption not advisable with widespread WX like this. All area airports were compromised.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL WHEN WX AT DEST WAS WORSE THAN FORECAST AND THEY MISSED AN APCH.

Narrative: DISPATCHED UNDER ALTERNATE EXEMPTION. MARGINAL WX AT JFK. AN EXTRA 2.5 OF FUEL WAS ADDED FOR ATC/TURB. DURING APCH AT 3000 FT; ACR DECLARED EMER AND WAS GIVEN PRIORITY. WE WERE VECTORED EXTENSIVELY. FINALLY CLRED APCH RWY 31L. VISIBILITY DROPPED TO 2000 FT RVR (2400 FT REQUIRED) CAT I. GAR WAS REQUIRED. DURING THE GAR WE EXPERIENCED A THUMP SOUND AND FELT IT ON THE ACFT CTLS. VISIBILITY WAS BETTER FOR RWY 31L. WE DECLARED 'MINIMUM FUEL.' AT THIS POINT WE HAD 6.6 ON THE FUEL (AT TOP OF DSCNT WE HAD 10.3). CONDUCTED A CAT I UNEVENTFUL APCH TO MINIMUMS. LANDED WITH 5.9 FUEL. PLEASE TAKE NOTE WE HAD NO PLANNED ALTERNATE. WX AT ALL 3 NEW YORK AREA ARPTS WAS MARGINAL. THE ENTIRE NEW YORK AREA WAS SATURATED WITH AIRPLANES DUE TO WX. HAD WE MISSED A SECOND TIME AT JFK WE WOULD'VE HAD MORE VECTORING FOR EITHER EWR OR LGA. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 716215: I'M WRITING THIS TO ILLUSTRATE THE WEAKNESS IN ACR USE OF EXEMPTION FOR FLT PLANNING PURPOSES AND ALTERNATE PLANNING. WE WERE FLT PLANNED WITHOUT AN ALTERNATE; USING THIS EXEMPTION (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 1-1-2 RULE). ENRTE; JFK WX DETERIORATED; AND RWYS WERE SWITCHED. EXEMPTION NO LONGER APPLIED; AS NEW RWYS WERE NOT CAT II/III CAPABLE. CONFERRED ON OPTIONS; AND CONSULTED WITH DISPATCH WHO SUGGESTED SWF AS ALTERNATE. ON APCH; AFTER LENDY STAR; WE RECEIVED NUMEROUS AND LENGTHY VECTORS TO ALLOW ANOTHER CARRIER EMER ACFT PRIORITY. THIS WAS AT LOW ALT AND LOW AIRSPD. ANYWAY; ACR'S USE OF EXEMPTION NOT ADVISABLE WITH WIDESPREAD WX LIKE THIS. ALL AREA ARPTS WERE COMPROMISED.

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.