B737-300 flight crew has low fuel state; declares emergency and lands.

Attributes
ACN	720065
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 27r
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : holding
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	720065
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauges other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Our flight to ZZZ had 15.6 pounds of fuel which 2.5 pounds was for hold. We ended up holding at 3 separate fixes before getting cleared for the approach to runway 27R. At this point we could not accept any more delays because of fuel concerns. On short final tower instructed us to go around because of loss of separation with a heavy. Since we were following a heavy; I flew a DOT high on the glideslope and when tower instructed us to go around; I said unable. When they became insistent; I declared an emergency deciding that landing was safer than going around and landing with emergency fuel. The landing was uneventful and we blocked in with 3.2 pounds of fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW HAS LOW FUEL STATE; DECLARES EMER AND LANDS.

Narrative: OUR FLT TO ZZZ HAD 15.6 LBS OF FUEL WHICH 2.5 LBS WAS FOR HOLD. WE ENDED UP HOLDING AT 3 SEPARATE FIXES BEFORE GETTING CLRED FOR THE APCH TO RWY 27R. AT THIS POINT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT ANY MORE DELAYS BECAUSE OF FUEL CONCERNS. ON SHORT FINAL TWR INSTRUCTED US TO GO AROUND BECAUSE OF LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH A HEAVY. SINCE WE WERE FOLLOWING A HEAVY; I FLEW A DOT HIGH ON THE GLIDESLOPE AND WHEN TWR INSTRUCTED US TO GO AROUND; I SAID UNABLE. WHEN THEY BECAME INSISTENT; I DECLARED AN EMER DECIDING THAT LNDG WAS SAFER THAN GOING AROUND AND LNDG WITH EMER FUEL. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND WE BLOCKED IN WITH 3.2 LBS OF FUEL.

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.