Narrative:

We entered holding at FL320. We had approximately 13.5K pounds of gas. ATC stated that ZZZ was turning around the operation from a south to a north. We were given an efc of XA30. Realizing our gas was not enough for a ZZZ1 alternate; I quickly texted dispatch asking if we could drop ZZZ1 as an alternate. The reply was ok; ZZZ2 was the standalone alternate. Alternate and reserve fuel was 6.0; so bingo was set at 7.5. Still holding at FL320 and no movement was being made by anyone out of the hold towards ZZZ. Numerous ATIS reports showed ZZZ was now landing and departing north; but the winds were 220 degrees at 16 KTS gusting to 24 KTS; a big tailwind and out of limits. I realized we had no gas to do all of that and told the first officer to tell we cannot accept that for a clearance. Gas was down to 8.5 and the first officer told ATC we only could do 1 more turn in holding and that we need to go to ZZZ2; our alternate. We pulled up ZZZ2 ATIS and it showed winds 220 degrees at 12 KTS and landing runway 13. After completing the turn; we informed ATC we needed to divert to ZZZ2; gas was 7.9. We were vectored northeast and descended and then were told that ZZZ2 was closed. The first officer informed ATC we were minimum fuel. I pulled up nearest fields from out position from the fgms and saw ZZZ3 was 99 mi behind us. I then pulled up the WX and saw it was good. I then picked ZZZ3 as our divert field on my own and asked to go there. Our gas situation had dwindled down below bingo and there was no time to coordination with dispatch. We were committed to get the plane on the ground with a safe amount of gas. We turned east and landed at ZZZ3 without incident. If I had to do it again; I would have done the same thing with the exception of declaring an emergency. I really didn't need priority at that point as ATC accepted my divert request right away. But I realize that ZZZ3 was not our alternate and that should have been done. This sequence of events was unfolding to make a chain for disaster and I was determined to break the chain. We could not have anticipated these events occurring as they did and no one outside our aircraft was giving us helpful information. There was no information coming from ATC at all. They even stated they didn't know what was going on. Sometimes you have to do the right thing. I feel we did.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPTAIN OF MD80 MAKES INDEPENDENT DECISION TO DIVERT TO A NON-NAMED ALTERNATE ARPT WHEN FUEL REACHES A CRITICAL LEVEL AND THE NAMED ALTERNATE CLOSES.

Narrative: WE ENTERED HOLDING AT FL320. WE HAD APPROX 13.5K LBS OF GAS. ATC STATED THAT ZZZ WAS TURNING AROUND THE OP FROM A S TO A N. WE WERE GIVEN AN EFC OF XA30. REALIZING OUR GAS WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR A ZZZ1 ALTERNATE; I QUICKLY TEXTED DISPATCH ASKING IF WE COULD DROP ZZZ1 AS AN ALTERNATE. THE REPLY WAS OK; ZZZ2 WAS THE STANDALONE ALTERNATE. ALTERNATE AND RESERVE FUEL WAS 6.0; SO BINGO WAS SET AT 7.5. STILL HOLDING AT FL320 AND NO MOVEMENT WAS BEING MADE BY ANYONE OUT OF THE HOLD TOWARDS ZZZ. NUMEROUS ATIS RPTS SHOWED ZZZ WAS NOW LNDG AND DEPARTING N; BUT THE WINDS WERE 220 DEGS AT 16 KTS GUSTING TO 24 KTS; A BIG TAILWIND AND OUT OF LIMITS. I REALIZED WE HAD NO GAS TO DO ALL OF THAT AND TOLD THE FO TO TELL WE CANNOT ACCEPT THAT FOR A CLRNC. GAS WAS DOWN TO 8.5 AND THE FO TOLD ATC WE ONLY COULD DO 1 MORE TURN IN HOLDING AND THAT WE NEED TO GO TO ZZZ2; OUR ALTERNATE. WE PULLED UP ZZZ2 ATIS AND IT SHOWED WINDS 220 DEGS AT 12 KTS AND LNDG RWY 13. AFTER COMPLETING THE TURN; WE INFORMED ATC WE NEEDED TO DIVERT TO ZZZ2; GAS WAS 7.9. WE WERE VECTORED NE AND DSNDED AND THEN WERE TOLD THAT ZZZ2 WAS CLOSED. THE FO INFORMED ATC WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL. I PULLED UP NEAREST FIELDS FROM OUT POS FROM THE FGMS AND SAW ZZZ3 WAS 99 MI BEHIND US. I THEN PULLED UP THE WX AND SAW IT WAS GOOD. I THEN PICKED ZZZ3 AS OUR DIVERT FIELD ON MY OWN AND ASKED TO GO THERE. OUR GAS SITUATION HAD DWINDLED DOWN BELOW BINGO AND THERE WAS NO TIME TO COORD WITH DISPATCH. WE WERE COMMITTED TO GET THE PLANE ON THE GND WITH A SAFE AMOUNT OF GAS. WE TURNED E AND LANDED AT ZZZ3 WITHOUT INCIDENT. IF I HAD TO DO IT AGAIN; I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DECLARING AN EMER. I REALLY DIDN'T NEED PRIORITY AT THAT POINT AS ATC ACCEPTED MY DIVERT REQUEST RIGHT AWAY. BUT I REALIZE THAT ZZZ3 WAS NOT OUR ALTERNATE AND THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE. THIS SEQUENCE OF EVENTS WAS UNFOLDING TO MAKE A CHAIN FOR DISASTER AND I WAS DETERMINED TO BREAK THE CHAIN. WE COULD NOT HAVE ANTICIPATED THESE EVENTS OCCURRING AS THEY DID AND NO ONE OUTSIDE OUR ACFT WAS GIVING US HELPFUL INFO. THERE WAS NO INFO COMING FROM ATC AT ALL. THEY EVEN STATED THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. I FEEL WE DID.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.