Air carrier X incurred ATC delay for emergency landing.

Attributes
ACN	201942
Time
Date	199202
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hnl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 182 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	201942
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Bna ATC leaves a lot to be desired. We left the gate late because of connecting passengers and bags. Therefore, the push was already gone. Approaching the runway, we indicated we needed approximately 20 seconds before takeoff roll. In position, air carrier X was told to 'hold short.' about 2 mins later, emergency equipment appeared at midfield. When we asked what was happening, no response. Other aircraft were cleared for takeoff at other runways by the same controller, but we continued to hold short with no explanation. It was basically not a busy period for air traffic. Eventually, after approximately 6 mins, an aircraft appeared, approached, and landed on the runway we held short of. It taxied clear. The emergency equipment began to return to the garage, which by the way has a direct route that does not cross our runway. I asked the controller how long before we could depart, the response was not until the emergency was over. I again asked for a time. For this, the response seemed a penalization '10 mins or maybe less. No time on emergencys.' I explained that I need to know would I have to return to the gate for additional fuel. Fact is, we could have departed and been out of the way, long before the arrival of the emergency. We were put on 'freeze.' yes I am now questioning bna ATC judgement. A thing that should not be happening.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X INCURRED ATC DELAY FOR EMER LNDG.

Narrative: BNA ATC LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED. WE LEFT THE GATE LATE BECAUSE OF CONNECTING PAXS AND BAGS. THEREFORE, THE PUSH WAS ALREADY GONE. APCHING THE RWY, WE INDICATED WE NEEDED APPROX 20 SECONDS BEFORE TKOF ROLL. IN POS, ACR X WAS TOLD TO 'HOLD SHORT.' ABOUT 2 MINS LATER, EMER EQUIP APPEARED AT MIDFIELD. WHEN WE ASKED WHAT WAS HAPPENING, NO RESPONSE. OTHER ACFT WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AT OTHER RWYS BY THE SAME CTLR, BUT WE CONTINUED TO HOLD SHORT WITH NO EXPLANATION. IT WAS BASICALLY NOT A BUSY PERIOD FOR AIR TFC. EVENTUALLY, AFTER APPROX 6 MINS, AN ACFT APPEARED, APCHED, AND LANDED ON THE RWY WE HELD SHORT OF. IT TAXIED CLR. THE EMER EQUIP BEGAN TO RETURN TO THE GARAGE, WHICH BY THE WAY HAS A DIRECT RTE THAT DOES NOT CROSS OUR RWY. I ASKED THE CTLR HOW LONG BEFORE WE COULD DEPART, THE RESPONSE WAS NOT UNTIL THE EMER WAS OVER. I AGAIN ASKED FOR A TIME. FOR THIS, THE RESPONSE SEEMED A PENALIZATION '10 MINS OR MAYBE LESS. NO TIME ON EMERS.' I EXPLAINED THAT I NEED TO KNOW WOULD I HAVE TO RETURN TO THE GATE FOR ADDITIONAL FUEL. FACT IS, WE COULD HAVE DEPARTED AND BEEN OUT OF THE WAY, LONG BEFORE THE ARR OF THE EMER. WE WERE PUT ON 'FREEZE.' YES I AM NOW QUESTIONING BNA ATC JUDGEMENT. A THING THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING.

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.