Narrative:

We departed ZZZ1 for ZZZ2 with planned dispatch fuel. En route to ZZZ2; we were requested to hold south of the VOR. At that point we informed center that we could hold for five minutes. We then contacted dispatch through commercial radio. While waiting for the phone patch; center informed us that ZZZ2 would not reopen within our time frame. Center then placed us on a westerly vector while we talked to dispatch. Based on direct routing to ZZZ1; we concurred that a return to ZZZ1 was possible with present fuel. However; after we entered center's new route into the FMS; we found that our landing fuel would be approximately 1000 pounds. Uncomfortable with that level of risk; we determined a new destination was needed. Unable to contact dispatch due to our lower altitude; we diverted to ZZZ. En route to ZZZ; an emergency was declared when it was believed that sequencing for the runway might degrade the safety of flight; as we were now burning our reserve fuel. Factors that increased our fuel burn: lower than planned flight altitude; continuous use of anti-ice; differences between planned route and actual flight plan due to ATC; delayed communication of new destination by operations; all of which were not planned into our fuel by operations.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the entire pilot group at his air carrier is under considerable pressure to limit fuel load. He left with a legal load; but one that was not really operationally sound. Destination airport had significant WX earlier in the day; and they were working off the traffic backlog; which caused the holds and arrival delays.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 DECLARED AN EMER FOR LOW FUEL WHEN THEIR DEST WX FORCED A DIVERSION.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED ZZZ1 FOR ZZZ2 WITH PLANNED DISPATCH FUEL. ENRTE TO ZZZ2; WE WERE REQUESTED TO HOLD S OF THE VOR. AT THAT POINT WE INFORMED CTR THAT WE COULD HOLD FOR FIVE MINUTES. WE THEN CONTACTED DISPATCH THROUGH COMMERCIAL RADIO. WHILE WAITING FOR THE PHONE PATCH; CENTER INFORMED US THAT ZZZ2 WOULD NOT REOPEN WITHIN OUR TIME FRAME. CENTER THEN PLACED US ON A WESTERLY VECTOR WHILE WE TALKED TO DISPATCH. BASED ON DIRECT ROUTING TO ZZZ1; WE CONCURRED THAT A RETURN TO ZZZ1 WAS POSSIBLE WITH PRESENT FUEL. HOWEVER; AFTER WE ENTERED CENTER'S NEW ROUTE INTO THE FMS; WE FOUND THAT OUR LANDING FUEL WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 1000 LBS. UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT LEVEL OF RISK; WE DETERMINED A NEW DEST WAS NEEDED. UNABLE TO CONTACT DISPATCH DUE TO OUR LOWER ALT; WE DIVERTED TO ZZZ. ENRTE TO ZZZ; AN EMER WAS DECLARED WHEN IT WAS BELIEVED THAT SEQUENCING FOR THE RWY MIGHT DEGRADE THE SAFETY OF FLT; AS WE WERE NOW BURNING OUR RESERVE FUEL. FACTORS THAT INCREASED OUR FUEL BURN: LOWER THAN PLANNED FLT ALT; CONTINUOUS USE OF ANTI-ICE; DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PLANNED RTE AND ACTUAL FLT PLAN DUE TO ATC; DELAYED COMMUNICATION OF NEW DEST BY OPS; ALL OF WHICH WERE NOT PLANNED INTO OUR FUEL BY OPS.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE ENTIRE PLT GROUP AT HIS ACR IS UNDER CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE TO LIMIT FUEL LOAD. HE LEFT WITH A LEGAL LOAD; BUT ONE THAT WAS NOT REALLY OPERATIONALLY SOUND. DEST ARPT HAD SIGNIFICANT WX EARLIER IN THE DAY; AND THEY WERE WORKING OFF THE TFC BACKLOG; WHICH CAUSED THE HOLDS AND ARR DELAYS.

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.