Narrative:

Flight mco-ewr was held over flo for approximately 1 hour plus due to phone lines cut at ZDC. Despite the extra 4000# of extra fuel added at mco, we found ourselves in a tight fuel situation. We were diverting to iad for fuel when ZDC said ZNY would accept us for ewr if we wanted to continue to the destination. We checked our fuel status and the WX along our route. We then told them that would be ok to continue to ewr. Shortly thereafter, ATC informed us that either 320 KTS or a climb to FL350 would be needed to satisfy the next or other center sectors. Due to our restr fuel situation, I said we would have to stay at 280 KTS and FL270. The ATC controller then told us the only way we could continue on course was to call 'minimum fuel,' or we would not be accepted due to spacing requirements en route of 30 mi in trail. We then declared 'minimum fuel' and proceeded to ewr west/O any further problems. We landed at ewr with approximately 8500 pounds or about 45 mins of fuel. ATC did not waste any time in the terminal area, as they kept us in very close to the field and gave us a short final approach I feel if we had accelerated to 320 KTS or climbed to FL350 and had to fly the normal arrival route, we would have landed with 6800-7000 pounds, or approximately 30 mins.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB WAS BUT IN AN AHD BECAUSE OF ARTCC LANDLINE PROBLEM. CAPT HAD THE DECLARE A FUEL EMERGENCY TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE AT LONG RANGE CRUISE TO DESTINATION.

Narrative: FLT MCO-EWR WAS HELD OVER FLO FOR APPROX 1 HR PLUS DUE TO PHONE LINES CUT AT ZDC. DESPITE THE EXTRA 4000# OF EXTRA FUEL ADDED AT MCO, WE FOUND OURSELVES IN A TIGHT FUEL SITUATION. WE WERE DIVERTING TO IAD FOR FUEL WHEN ZDC SAID ZNY WOULD ACCEPT US FOR EWR IF WE WANTED TO CONTINUE TO THE DEST. WE CHKED OUR FUEL STATUS AND THE WX ALONG OUR RTE. WE THEN TOLD THEM THAT WOULD BE OK TO CONTINUE TO EWR. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ATC INFORMED US THAT EITHER 320 KTS OR A CLB TO FL350 WOULD BE NEEDED TO SATISFY THE NEXT OR OTHER CENTER SECTORS. DUE TO OUR RESTR FUEL SITUATION, I SAID WE WOULD HAVE TO STAY AT 280 KTS AND FL270. THE ATC CTLR THEN TOLD US THE ONLY WAY WE COULD CONTINUE ON COURSE WAS TO CALL 'MINIMUM FUEL,' OR WE WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED DUE TO SPACING REQUIREMENTS ENRTE OF 30 MI IN TRAIL. WE THEN DECLARED 'MINIMUM FUEL' AND PROCEEDED TO EWR W/O ANY FURTHER PROBS. WE LANDED AT EWR WITH APPROX 8500 LBS OR ABOUT 45 MINS OF FUEL. ATC DID NOT WASTE ANY TIME IN THE TERMINAL AREA, AS THEY KEPT US IN VERY CLOSE TO THE FIELD AND GAVE US A SHORT FINAL APCH I FEEL IF WE HAD ACCELERATED TO 320 KTS OR CLBED TO FL350 AND HAD TO FLY THE NORMAL ARR RTE, WE WOULD HAVE LANDED WITH 6800-7000 LBS, OR APPROX 30 MINS.

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.