Narrative:

Inbound to jfk from nrt boston center gave us a sudden hold at kingston VOR. After 2 turns they could not tell why or when nyc approach would release us inbound. They gave us no efc at first, until needed. They then gave us a 'make up one'. We told them we would have to make up our minds soon because fuel was a consideration as we had just come from tokyo. Boston cleared us to myc approach who the proceeded to treat us as if we had declared a 'fuel state' or 'emergency'. We did neither but were forced into a series of maneuvers and requests by nyc that put a tremendous pressure on a tired crew, including a 'slam-dunk' to a VOR 22R at jfk all the while demanding fuel in mins remaining and passenger count. We had declared no problem or emergency but nyc decided we in fact had one when we did not. They created a hazardous situation because of their problem months before. They also 'hid' the type of approach until the last few mins (22R VOR vice the expected 'panassic' lds) forcing a tired crew to deal with and brief an unfamiliar approach. We refused to take time to deal with approach control's requests for passenger and fuel because we were extremely occupied with looking up the approach which was an unusual one, briefing it, flying it safely, after our descent. I called TRACON after arriving at jfk and clearing customs and explained our problems in dealing with what they decided was an emergency. Nyc, understandably, is sensitive but they are going too far. Rather than jump to conclusions and procedures that are hazardous in themselves questioning a crew and ascertaining intentions would be better than the escalating comedy we experienced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB CAPT REFERS TO HIS FUEL STATE TO GET ARTCC RADAR CTLR'S ATTENTION BUT THEN OBJECTS TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE HANDLED AS THOUGH A FUEL EMER HAD BEEN DECLARED.

Narrative: INBND TO JFK FROM NRT BOSTON CTR GAVE US A SUDDEN HOLD AT KINGSTON VOR. AFTER 2 TURNS THEY COULD NOT TELL WHY OR WHEN NYC APCH WOULD RELEASE US INBOUND. THEY GAVE US NO EFC AT FIRST, UNTIL NEEDED. THEY THEN GAVE US A 'MAKE UP ONE'. WE TOLD THEM WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE UP OUR MINDS SOON BECAUSE FUEL WAS A CONSIDERATION AS WE HAD JUST COME FROM TOKYO. BOSTON CLRED US TO MYC APCH WHO THE PROCEEDED TO TREAT US AS IF WE HAD DECLARED A 'FUEL STATE' OR 'EMER'. WE DID NEITHER BUT WERE FORCED INTO A SERIES OF MANEUVERS AND REQUESTS BY NYC THAT PUT A TREMENDOUS PRESSURE ON A TIRED CREW, INCLUDING A 'SLAM-DUNK' TO A VOR 22R AT JFK ALL THE WHILE DEMANDING FUEL IN MINS REMAINING AND PAX COUNT. WE HAD DECLARED NO PROBLEM OR EMER BUT NYC DECIDED WE IN FACT HAD ONE WHEN WE DID NOT. THEY CREATED A HAZARDOUS SITUATION BECAUSE OF THEIR PROBLEM MONTHS BEFORE. THEY ALSO 'HID' THE TYPE OF APCH UNTIL THE LAST FEW MINS (22R VOR VICE THE EXPECTED 'PANASSIC' LDS) FORCING A TIRED CREW TO DEAL WITH AND BRIEF AN UNFAMILIAR APCH. WE REFUSED TO TAKE TIME TO DEAL WITH APCH CTL'S REQUESTS FOR PAX AND FUEL BECAUSE WE WERE EXTREMELY OCCUPIED WITH LOOKING UP THE APCH WHICH WAS AN UNUSUAL ONE, BRIEFING IT, FLYING IT SAFELY, AFTER OUR DSCNT. I CALLED TRACON AFTER ARRIVING AT JFK AND CLRING CUSTOMS AND EXPLAINED OUR PROBLEMS IN DEALING WITH WHAT THEY DECIDED WAS AN EMER. NYC, UNDERSTANDABLY, IS SENSITIVE BUT THEY ARE GOING TOO FAR. RATHER THAN JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS AND PROCS THAT ARE HAZARDOUS IN THEMSELVES QUESTIONING A CREW AND ASCERTAINING INTENTIONS WOULD BE BETTER THAN THE ESCALATING COMEDY WE EXPERIENCED.

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.