GA pilot declares emergency after low fuel state is recognized.

Attributes
ACN	252272
Time
Date	199309
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : oak
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	252272
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Unknown delays contributed to extra long flight such as: had to use extra high altitude (ATC instruction) and failing altitude indicator caused zigzag course corrections, all eventually leading to a low fuel condition above a cloud deck. I declared an emergency to descend to a VFR airport below the deck (clouds). Landing otherwise uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT DECLARES EMER AFTER LOW FUEL STATE IS RECOGNIZED.

Narrative: UNKNOWN DELAYS CONTRIBUTED TO EXTRA LONG FLT SUCH AS: HAD TO USE EXTRA HIGH ALT (ATC INSTRUCTION) AND FAILING ALT INDICATOR CAUSED ZIGZAG COURSE CORRECTIONS, ALL EVENTUALLY LEADING TO A LOW FUEL CONDITION ABOVE A CLOUD DECK. I DECLARED AN EMER TO DSND TO A VFR ARPT BELOW THE DECK (CLOUDS). LNDG OTHERWISE UNEVENTFUL.

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.