Narrative:

Returning home from the south over-flying the shoreline; based on last refueling and flight time; I expected to land with about 1 hour of fuel remaining (reserve). I was receiving VFR radar service (flight following). I neared the edge of the B airspace at 7500 ft planning to fly south to north over the top and ask for clearance into the B airspace for my descent into ZZZ; which I have done uneventfully several times in the past. As I crossed just west of ZZZ2 I saw in front of me a thin scattered layer of clouds that seemed to be at my altitude extending for miles in either direction. I told the controller about the clouds and said 'if I could get a bravo clearance at 5500 ft or I can climb to go over it.' he said 'no problem; cleared into the bravo; descend and maintain 5500; direct ZZZ2 VOR; heading 060 departing ZZZ2.' I complied. As I descended (within a few mi of ZZZ) I realized I had slightly misjudged the altitude of the scattered layer and asked for 'lower 3500 if possible or I am IFR current can take IFR through it.' he said 'no problem continue descent to 3500; let me know your conditions there.' shortly thereafter I reported 'VFR underneath at 4000.' I was handed off. I was again told to 'fly heading 060 to clear ZZZ3.' when I was about 8-10 mi east of ZZZ3 and due south of ZZZ (ATIS winds 310 degrees/13 KTS gusting 19 KTS); I asked if I could go 'direct to the field.' controller told me 'not yet; in a few mi; fly 040; and you can descend under the bravo and then go direct.' I descended to 2500 ft in an area where 2500 ft is under the B airspace and the controller got busy for a few moments with commercial traffic and I began to think he might have forgotten about me. He next told me 'radar service terminated; squawk VFR; contact ZZZ tower.' (the right low fuel light started to flicker intermittently about this time.) I was surprised because I was about 12 mi south to southeast of ZZZ1 and I could not recall ever not getting a handoff to the tower from approach. I contacted the tower and was told to contact approach for sequencing. I contacted approach and was given a discrete squawk code and told to 'fly 060' (when direct would have been about 340). The frequency was very busy as is often the case. I heard the controller clear several (larger; corp and regional jets) aircraft for the visual which took them right to left in front of me at 2000 ft. I continued on 060 degrees. I also heard the controller clear a C172 and a baron from the area directly in front of me 'direct to the field for the left right downwind.' I asked several times when I could go direct to the field and was told 'not yet.' after several mins and going from about 12 mi south of the field to about 12 mi east of the field I was (finally) told 'descend to pattern altitude (which is typical at ZZZ; when that far from the field); head direct to the field for the right traffic; contact tower.' I contacted tower and reported '9 east full stop.' I was told 'cleared straight in runway xy.' I said 'wind check' and was told '330 12 gusting to 19.' I said 'request runway xx.' I was told 'expect delay runway xx; remain outside class D airspace and expect 15 min delay.' I said 'minimum fuel; cannot accept any further delays.' I was asked 'are you declaring an emergency.' I said 'affirmative.' I was told to squawk 7700 and head direct to the field; any runway. I headed direct to the field. I did a short right base entry and landed without incident on runway xx. As per ground control; the 'operations vehicle' (fire truck) followed me to my hangar and I gave the personnel the information they desired. Upon landing; my fuel gauges indicated 4 gals on the left and 2 gals on the right. I checked each tank with a fuel dipstick and measured 5 gals on each side. Discussion: I am confused as to why the 1ST controller terminated me so close to ZZZ. Perhaps he was too busy to arrange the usual and expected handoff. I would expect all TRACON staff to know the approach frequency for sequencing of ZZZ arrs and that sequencing is basically mandatory. I was frustrated at the prolonged amount of time I had to fly away from the field once I contacted approach. Most importantly; after I reported minimum fuel and was asked if I was declaring an emergency I felt like I had been backed into a corner. In retrospect I should have said/repeated 'no but I cannot accept any more delays.' at the time; being at 1500 ft; 9 mi from the field and with '15 min delay' (and the distinct possibility of longer) fresh in my mind I almost reflexively said 'affirmative.' I 'knew' I had at least 4 or 5 gals per side but with 1 constant and 1 intermittent low fuel warning lights and the recollection of frequently read admonitions that small plane fuel gauges are notoriously inaccurate and the thought that once down to the 'dregs' of the fuel there could be uneven fuel pick-up from the tanks and not being enthusiastic about an engine sputter at low altitude 9 mi from an airport; it was easy to become concerned when there were unexpected and seemingly unnecessary delays. When asked; I chose to err on the side of safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SINGLE ENG ACFT PILOT APCHING ZZZ DECLARED AN EMER FOR LOW FUEL AFTER BEING VECTORED IN THE ARPT VICINITY AND NOT CLRED TO THE ARPT.

Narrative: RETURNING HOME FROM THE S OVER-FLYING THE SHORELINE; BASED ON LAST REFUELING AND FLT TIME; I EXPECTED TO LAND WITH ABOUT 1 HR OF FUEL REMAINING (RESERVE). I WAS RECEIVING VFR RADAR SVC (FLT FOLLOWING). I NEARED THE EDGE OF THE B AIRSPACE AT 7500 FT PLANNING TO FLY S TO N OVER THE TOP AND ASK FOR CLRNC INTO THE B AIRSPACE FOR MY DSCNT INTO ZZZ; WHICH I HAVE DONE UNEVENTFULLY SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST. AS I CROSSED JUST W OF ZZZ2 I SAW IN FRONT OF ME A THIN SCATTERED LAYER OF CLOUDS THAT SEEMED TO BE AT MY ALT EXTENDING FOR MILES IN EITHER DIRECTION. I TOLD THE CTLR ABOUT THE CLOUDS AND SAID 'IF I COULD GET A BRAVO CLRNC AT 5500 FT OR I CAN CLB TO GO OVER IT.' HE SAID 'NO PROB; CLRED INTO THE BRAVO; DSND AND MAINTAIN 5500; DIRECT ZZZ2 VOR; HDG 060 DEPARTING ZZZ2.' I COMPLIED. AS I DSNDED (WITHIN A FEW MI OF ZZZ) I REALIZED I HAD SLIGHTLY MISJUDGED THE ALT OF THE SCATTERED LAYER AND ASKED FOR 'LOWER 3500 IF POSSIBLE OR I AM IFR CURRENT CAN TAKE IFR THROUGH IT.' HE SAID 'NO PROB CONTINUE DSCNT TO 3500; LET ME KNOW YOUR CONDITIONS THERE.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER I RPTED 'VFR UNDERNEATH AT 4000.' I WAS HANDED OFF. I WAS AGAIN TOLD TO 'FLY HDG 060 TO CLR ZZZ3.' WHEN I WAS ABOUT 8-10 MI E OF ZZZ3 AND DUE S OF ZZZ (ATIS WINDS 310 DEGS/13 KTS GUSTING 19 KTS); I ASKED IF I COULD GO 'DIRECT TO THE FIELD.' CTLR TOLD ME 'NOT YET; IN A FEW MI; FLY 040; AND YOU CAN DSND UNDER THE BRAVO AND THEN GO DIRECT.' I DSNDED TO 2500 FT IN AN AREA WHERE 2500 FT IS UNDER THE B AIRSPACE AND THE CTLR GOT BUSY FOR A FEW MOMENTS WITH COMMERCIAL TFC AND I BEGAN TO THINK HE MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT ME. HE NEXT TOLD ME 'RADAR SVC TERMINATED; SQUAWK VFR; CONTACT ZZZ TWR.' (THE R LOW FUEL LIGHT STARTED TO FLICKER INTERMITTENTLY ABOUT THIS TIME.) I WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE I WAS ABOUT 12 MI S TO SE OF ZZZ1 AND I COULD NOT RECALL EVER NOT GETTING A HDOF TO THE TWR FROM APCH. I CONTACTED THE TWR AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT APCH FOR SEQUENCING. I CONTACTED APCH AND WAS GIVEN A DISCRETE SQUAWK CODE AND TOLD TO 'FLY 060' (WHEN DIRECT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 340). THE FREQ WAS VERY BUSY AS IS OFTEN THE CASE. I HEARD THE CTLR CLR SEVERAL (LARGER; CORP AND REGIONAL JETS) ACFT FOR THE VISUAL WHICH TOOK THEM R TO L IN FRONT OF ME AT 2000 FT. I CONTINUED ON 060 DEGS. I ALSO HEARD THE CTLR CLR A C172 AND A BARON FROM THE AREA DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME 'DIRECT TO THE FIELD FOR THE L R DOWNWIND.' I ASKED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I COULD GO DIRECT TO THE FIELD AND WAS TOLD 'NOT YET.' AFTER SEVERAL MINS AND GOING FROM ABOUT 12 MI S OF THE FIELD TO ABOUT 12 MI E OF THE FIELD I WAS (FINALLY) TOLD 'DSND TO PATTERN ALT (WHICH IS TYPICAL AT ZZZ; WHEN THAT FAR FROM THE FIELD); HEAD DIRECT TO THE FIELD FOR THE R TFC; CONTACT TWR.' I CONTACTED TWR AND RPTED '9 E FULL STOP.' I WAS TOLD 'CLRED STRAIGHT IN RWY XY.' I SAID 'WIND CHK' AND WAS TOLD '330 12 GUSTING TO 19.' I SAID 'REQUEST RWY XX.' I WAS TOLD 'EXPECT DELAY RWY XX; REMAIN OUTSIDE CLASS D AIRSPACE AND EXPECT 15 MIN DELAY.' I SAID 'MINIMUM FUEL; CANNOT ACCEPT ANY FURTHER DELAYS.' I WAS ASKED 'ARE YOU DECLARING AN EMER.' I SAID 'AFFIRMATIVE.' I WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK 7700 AND HEAD DIRECT TO THE FIELD; ANY RWY. I HEADED DIRECT TO THE FIELD. I DID A SHORT R BASE ENTRY AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT ON RWY XX. AS PER GND CTL; THE 'OPS VEHICLE' (FIRE TRUCK) FOLLOWED ME TO MY HANGAR AND I GAVE THE PERSONNEL THE INFO THEY DESIRED. UPON LNDG; MY FUEL GAUGES INDICATED 4 GALS ON THE L AND 2 GALS ON THE R. I CHKED EACH TANK WITH A FUEL DIPSTICK AND MEASURED 5 GALS ON EACH SIDE. DISCUSSION: I AM CONFUSED AS TO WHY THE 1ST CTLR TERMINATED ME SO CLOSE TO ZZZ. PERHAPS HE WAS TOO BUSY TO ARRANGE THE USUAL AND EXPECTED HDOF. I WOULD EXPECT ALL TRACON STAFF TO KNOW THE APCH FREQ FOR SEQUENCING OF ZZZ ARRS AND THAT SEQUENCING IS BASICALLY MANDATORY. I WAS FRUSTRATED AT THE PROLONGED AMOUNT OF TIME I HAD TO FLY AWAY FROM THE FIELD ONCE I CONTACTED APCH. MOST IMPORTANTLY; AFTER I RPTED MINIMUM FUEL AND WAS ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER I FELT LIKE I HAD BEEN BACKED INTO A CORNER. IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE SAID/REPEATED 'NO BUT I CANNOT ACCEPT ANY MORE DELAYS.' AT THE TIME; BEING AT 1500 FT; 9 MI FROM THE FIELD AND WITH '15 MIN DELAY' (AND THE DISTINCT POSSIBILITY OF LONGER) FRESH IN MY MIND I ALMOST REFLEXIVELY SAID 'AFFIRMATIVE.' I 'KNEW' I HAD AT LEAST 4 OR 5 GALS PER SIDE BUT WITH 1 CONSTANT AND 1 INTERMITTENT LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHTS AND THE RECOLLECTION OF FREQUENTLY READ ADMONITIONS THAT SMALL PLANE FUEL GAUGES ARE NOTORIOUSLY INACCURATE AND THE THOUGHT THAT ONCE DOWN TO THE 'DREGS' OF THE FUEL THERE COULD BE UNEVEN FUEL PICK-UP FROM THE TANKS AND NOT BEING ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT AN ENG SPUTTER AT LOW ALT 9 MI FROM AN ARPT; IT WAS EASY TO BECOME CONCERNED WHEN THERE WERE UNEXPECTED AND SEEMINGLY UNNECESSARY DELAYS. WHEN ASKED; I CHOSE TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF SAFETY.

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.