Narrative:

My first officer was flying the leg to atl. Our flight plan had us with no alternate and about 25 min hold. Approaching on J66 from mem, we were told to hold at rome or (approximately hold efc was 40 min hence). While in the hold I attempted via ACARS to contact our dispatch for a diversionary airport. We sent 2 messages and received no reply. After 25 min or so, we were vectored toward atl. My own selected diversionary airport was cha and I was just about to request a clearance to it, when we were vectored toward atl. Center could not give us an expected landing time. As we were vectored further away from cha I was very busy trying to select another diversionary airport. I declared a 'low fuel situation.' during this time, on a vector the first officer failed to level off at an assigned altitude and went 900' below. I noticed the deviation and instructed him to climb back immediately. After several more vectors we landed at atl on runway 8. On approach I was concerned that another air carrier flight might not make the soonest turn off and that we might have to make a go-around. I instructed the first officer to slow up, and suggested the tower tell air carrier B to expedite. We landed west/O incident and I had just under 5000 pounds of fuel. When on a vector, an expect further landing time should be issued so that capts can plan their options west/O the pressure of a low fuel situation. Distance sep should be a factor on approach so that landing would be assured west/O the possibility of a go-around. In our case, a go-around and further vectors would have been very critical. Also in low fuel situations a constant descent rather than stair-step level offs and speed control would help to conserve fuel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLT CREW LOW ON FUEL AND BEING GIVEN DELAYING VECTORS DECLARES LOW FUEL STATE, ALSO OVERSHOOTS ALT IN DESCENT.

Narrative: MY F/O WAS FLYING THE LEG TO ATL. OUR FLT PLAN HAD US WITH NO ALTERNATE AND ABOUT 25 MIN HOLD. APCHING ON J66 FROM MEM, WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD AT ROME OR (APPROX HOLD EFC WAS 40 MIN HENCE). WHILE IN THE HOLD I ATTEMPTED VIA ACARS TO CONTACT OUR DISPATCH FOR A DIVERSIONARY ARPT. WE SENT 2 MESSAGES AND RECEIVED NO REPLY. AFTER 25 MIN OR SO, WE WERE VECTORED TOWARD ATL. MY OWN SELECTED DIVERSIONARY ARPT WAS CHA AND I WAS JUST ABOUT TO REQUEST A CLRNC TO IT, WHEN WE WERE VECTORED TOWARD ATL. CTR COULD NOT GIVE US AN EXPECTED LNDG TIME. AS WE WERE VECTORED FURTHER AWAY FROM CHA I WAS VERY BUSY TRYING TO SELECT ANOTHER DIVERSIONARY ARPT. I DECLARED A 'LOW FUEL SITUATION.' DURING THIS TIME, ON A VECTOR THE F/O FAILED TO LEVEL OFF AT AN ASSIGNED ALT AND WENT 900' BELOW. I NOTICED THE DEV AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO CLB BACK IMMEDIATELY. AFTER SEVERAL MORE VECTORS WE LANDED AT ATL ON RWY 8. ON APCH I WAS CONCERNED THAT ANOTHER ACR FLT MIGHT NOT MAKE THE SOONEST TURN OFF AND THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE A GO-AROUND. I INSTRUCTED THE F/O TO SLOW UP, AND SUGGESTED THE TWR TELL ACR B TO EXPEDITE. WE LANDED W/O INCIDENT AND I HAD JUST UNDER 5000 LBS OF FUEL. WHEN ON A VECTOR, AN EXPECT FURTHER LNDG TIME SHOULD BE ISSUED SO THAT CAPTS CAN PLAN THEIR OPTIONS W/O THE PRESSURE OF A LOW FUEL SITUATION. DISTANCE SEP SHOULD BE A FACTOR ON APCH SO THAT LNDG WOULD BE ASSURED W/O THE POSSIBILITY OF A GO-AROUND. IN OUR CASE, A GO-AROUND AND FURTHER VECTORS WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY CRITICAL. ALSO IN LOW FUEL SITUATIONS A CONSTANT DSNT RATHER THAN STAIR-STEP LEVEL OFFS AND SPD CTL WOULD HELP TO CONSERVE FUEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.