Narrative:

Flight was planned and flown as per the flight plan. During the descent we noted that we were about 1000 pounds below planned fuel. WX called for showers at ZZZZ but ZZZZ1 WX was good. We noticed some showers in the area but we could see the airport while passing it on downwind. Approach took us out 30 mi and when we turned onto final approach; we noted again that our fuel was a little low but ok. At 5 mi from touchdown we are given vectors off of the approach because the plane ahead of us has gone missed approach for low visibility. We ask for the current WX at ZZZZ and are told that the WX is improving and that we are now #1 for landing with 4 mi visibility. We will be landing now in the opposite direction which meant a shorter approach so we decided to fly it instead of diverting. At 5 mi out on final; we are told the WX is now going bad again with visibility and ceiling at our minimums. We go missed approach and immediately ask for vectors to ZZZZ1. We discuss declaring an emergency at this time but calculate that we should land with 30-40 mins of gas and decide to wait. At around 5 mi from landing at ZZZZ1; another plane declares an emergency for low fuel and approach wants us to break off our approach for them. We declare our emergency for low fuel and land with approximately 4000 pounds of fuel left. Things we thought about afterward. With our fuel savings flight plans you really only have 1 shot at an approach then it's time to divert -- period. We were drawn into flying the second approach into ZZZZ by supposedly improving WX and being #1 for the approach. We were trying to help out the controllers by not causing more confusion by declaring an emergency earlier as they had their hands full with diverting planes; but we should have. By delaying our call we almost hurt ourselves. In the future; the call will go out as soon as the fuel gets below our minimums.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 FLT CREW EXECUTED 2 MISSED APCHS BEFORE DIVERTING TO ITS ALTERNATE AND DECLARING A FUEL EMER.

Narrative: FLT WAS PLANNED AND FLOWN AS PER THE FLT PLAN. DURING THE DSCNT WE NOTED THAT WE WERE ABOUT 1000 LBS BELOW PLANNED FUEL. WX CALLED FOR SHOWERS AT ZZZZ BUT ZZZZ1 WX WAS GOOD. WE NOTICED SOME SHOWERS IN THE AREA BUT WE COULD SEE THE ARPT WHILE PASSING IT ON DOWNWIND. APCH TOOK US OUT 30 MI AND WHEN WE TURNED ONTO FINAL APCH; WE NOTED AGAIN THAT OUR FUEL WAS A LITTLE LOW BUT OK. AT 5 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN WE ARE GIVEN VECTORS OFF OF THE APCH BECAUSE THE PLANE AHEAD OF US HAS GONE MISSED APCH FOR LOW VISIBILITY. WE ASK FOR THE CURRENT WX AT ZZZZ AND ARE TOLD THAT THE WX IS IMPROVING AND THAT WE ARE NOW #1 FOR LNDG WITH 4 MI VISIBILITY. WE WILL BE LNDG NOW IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHICH MEANT A SHORTER APCH SO WE DECIDED TO FLY IT INSTEAD OF DIVERTING. AT 5 MI OUT ON FINAL; WE ARE TOLD THE WX IS NOW GOING BAD AGAIN WITH VISIBILITY AND CEILING AT OUR MINIMUMS. WE GO MISSED APCH AND IMMEDIATELY ASK FOR VECTORS TO ZZZZ1. WE DISCUSS DECLARING AN EMER AT THIS TIME BUT CALCULATE THAT WE SHOULD LAND WITH 30-40 MINS OF GAS AND DECIDE TO WAIT. AT AROUND 5 MI FROM LNDG AT ZZZZ1; ANOTHER PLANE DECLARES AN EMER FOR LOW FUEL AND APCH WANTS US TO BREAK OFF OUR APCH FOR THEM. WE DECLARE OUR EMER FOR LOW FUEL AND LAND WITH APPROX 4000 LBS OF FUEL LEFT. THINGS WE THOUGHT ABOUT AFTERWARD. WITH OUR FUEL SAVINGS FLT PLANS YOU REALLY ONLY HAVE 1 SHOT AT AN APCH THEN IT'S TIME TO DIVERT -- PERIOD. WE WERE DRAWN INTO FLYING THE SECOND APCH INTO ZZZZ BY SUPPOSEDLY IMPROVING WX AND BEING #1 FOR THE APCH. WE WERE TRYING TO HELP OUT THE CTLRS BY NOT CAUSING MORE CONFUSION BY DECLARING AN EMER EARLIER AS THEY HAD THEIR HANDS FULL WITH DIVERTING PLANES; BUT WE SHOULD HAVE. BY DELAYING OUR CALL WE ALMOST HURT OURSELVES. IN THE FUTURE; THE CALL WILL GO OUT AS SOON AS THE FUEL GETS BELOW OUR MINIMUMS.

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.