Narrative:

Prior to takeoff, alb tower cautioned us reference thunderstorm west of airport, 'you'll need to go southwest....' departure gave us a similar caution and WX avoidance vector. Our radar image and thought process agreed. After flying southwest approximately 20 mi, we were eventually able to gradually turn right to 260 degrees. After flying about 60 NM, ZBW asked how much longer we would be on the westerly heading 'about 90 mi' the first officer replied. ZBW said we must turn northwest to 300 degrees or she would need to turn us back to alb and then divert around the south to the north and northwest. We were at 17000 ft MSL. She said ZNY could not take us and further flight on the 260 degree heading would place us in ZNY airspace. My thought process/questions/doubts: ZNY is not enemy territory -- yet, who's serving who? If diversion north and northwest of albany was such a great idea, why are we to the wsw -- no faith in controller's WX picture. I can see the end of my problem now. I cannot see behind me and I do not know the extent of the WX to the north and northwest. Ground radar is not WX capable -- I have a better view. After fruitless attempts by the first officer to explain our desires, I transmitted: 'if I turn around into the unknown, I may need to declare an emergency for fuel' (not knowing the extend of the WX). ZBW: 'I understand you are declaring an emergency.' finally, some progress. I thought, if that's what it takes to get through to the controller, I'll do that and answer questions later. I'd rather be second-guessed after landing safely in detroit than second-guessed after landing at an airport east of detroit for fuel. At the controller's insistence, I declared an emergency. Handed to ZNY. Talked to watch supervisor in cleveland. Explained my situation. He felt I should have communicated more to ZBW controller. Perhaps I could have, if the boston controller was listening.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL EMER DECLARED BY ACR PIC.

Narrative: PRIOR TO TKOF, ALB TWR CAUTIONED US REF TSTM W OF ARPT, 'YOU'LL NEED TO GO SW....' DEP GAVE US A SIMILAR CAUTION AND WX AVOIDANCE VECTOR. OUR RADAR IMAGE AND THOUGHT PROCESS AGREED. AFTER FLYING SW APPROX 20 MI, WE WERE EVENTUALLY ABLE TO GRADUALLY TURN R TO 260 DEGS. AFTER FLYING ABOUT 60 NM, ZBW ASKED HOW MUCH LONGER WE WOULD BE ON THE WESTERLY HDG 'ABOUT 90 MI' THE FO REPLIED. ZBW SAID WE MUST TURN NW TO 300 DEGS OR SHE WOULD NEED TO TURN US BACK TO ALB AND THEN DIVERT AROUND THE S TO THE N AND NW. WE WERE AT 17000 FT MSL. SHE SAID ZNY COULD NOT TAKE US AND FURTHER FLT ON THE 260 DEG HDG WOULD PLACE US IN ZNY AIRSPACE. MY THOUGHT PROCESS/QUESTIONS/DOUBTS: ZNY IS NOT ENEMY TERRITORY -- YET, WHO'S SERVING WHO? IF DIVERSION N AND NW OF ALBANY WAS SUCH A GREAT IDEA, WHY ARE WE TO THE WSW -- NO FAITH IN CTLR'S WX PICTURE. I CAN SEE THE END OF MY PROB NOW. I CANNOT SEE BEHIND ME AND I DO NOT KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE WX TO THE N AND NW. GND RADAR IS NOT WX CAPABLE -- I HAVE A BETTER VIEW. AFTER FRUITLESS ATTEMPTS BY THE FO TO EXPLAIN OUR DESIRES, I XMITTED: 'IF I TURN AROUND INTO THE UNKNOWN, I MAY NEED TO DECLARE AN EMER FOR FUEL' (NOT KNOWING THE EXTEND OF THE WX). ZBW: 'I UNDERSTAND YOU ARE DECLARING AN EMER.' FINALLY, SOME PROGRESS. I THOUGHT, IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THROUGH TO THE CTLR, I'LL DO THAT AND ANSWER QUESTIONS LATER. I'D RATHER BE SECOND-GUESSED AFTER LNDG SAFELY IN DETROIT THAN SECOND-GUESSED AFTER LNDG AT AN ARPT E OF DETROIT FOR FUEL. AT THE CTLR'S INSISTENCE, I DECLARED AN EMER. HANDED TO ZNY. TALKED TO WATCH SUPVR IN CLEVELAND. EXPLAINED MY SIT. HE FELT I SHOULD HAVE COMMUNICATED MORE TO ZBW CTLR. PERHAPS I COULD HAVE, IF THE BOSTON CTLR WAS LISTENING.

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.