Narrative:

Ny ARTCC rerted us shortly after takeoff from lga from original routing over etx-psb, iow-lbf etc, to a much more southerly route over EMI-mrb-hvq-iiu-stl-mkc-den. This added mi and mins to a route already planned with only 2000 pounds of hold fuel due to takeoff weight restrs out of lga. I checked with our dispatcher, got a new flight plan and fuel forecast, and checked den, cos and cys (our destination and 2 alternates) WX every 30 mins during our flight. Thunderstorms moved through den 2 hours before our arrival, cos and cys stayed clear. In den ARTCC airspace at 0020Z, we began receiving requests to change altitude, speed up, slow down, and finally we were vectored 90 degrees off course. Since the hold fuel originally planned was used up on the rerte, I felt that no delay was acceptable, and told den ARTCC we would just proceed to our alternate of cos. At 0040Z, when we were approximately 80 NM east of cos, cos airport closed due to heavy thunderstorms directly overhead. Our 2ND alternate, cys, was further away than den (and was experiencing thunderstorms in the vicinity), so with no options left, I declared 'low fuel emergency' and we landed in den with 6400 pounds of fuel (well above the far minimums of 4000 pounds plus 2100 pounds required for our alternate), but his course of action was justified, I felt, by the closure of our first alternate and inaccessibility of our 2ND alternate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW FUEL. EMER DECLARED FOR PRIORITY LNDG.

Narrative: NY ARTCC RERTED US SHORTLY AFTER TKOF FROM LGA FROM ORIGINAL ROUTING OVER ETX-PSB, IOW-LBF ETC, TO A MUCH MORE SOUTHERLY RTE OVER EMI-MRB-HVQ-IIU-STL-MKC-DEN. THIS ADDED MI AND MINS TO A RTE ALREADY PLANNED WITH ONLY 2000 LBS OF HOLD FUEL DUE TO TKOF WT RESTRS OUT OF LGA. I CHKED WITH OUR DISPATCHER, GOT A NEW FLT PLAN AND FUEL FORECAST, AND CHKED DEN, COS AND CYS (OUR DEST AND 2 ALTERNATES) WX EVERY 30 MINS DURING OUR FLT. TSTMS MOVED THROUGH DEN 2 HRS BEFORE OUR ARR, COS AND CYS STAYED CLR. IN DEN ARTCC AIRSPACE AT 0020Z, WE BEGAN RECEIVING REQUESTS TO CHANGE ALT, SPD UP, SLOW DOWN, AND FINALLY WE WERE VECTORED 90 DEGS OFF COURSE. SINCE THE HOLD FUEL ORIGINALLY PLANNED WAS USED UP ON THE RERTE, I FELT THAT NO DELAY WAS ACCEPTABLE, AND TOLD DEN ARTCC WE WOULD JUST PROCEED TO OUR ALTERNATE OF COS. AT 0040Z, WHEN WE WERE APPROX 80 NM E OF COS, COS ARPT CLOSED DUE TO HVY TSTMS DIRECTLY OVERHEAD. OUR 2ND ALTERNATE, CYS, WAS FURTHER AWAY THAN DEN (AND WAS EXPERIENCING TSTMS IN THE VICINITY), SO WITH NO OPTIONS LEFT, I DECLARED 'LOW FUEL EMER' AND WE LANDED IN DEN WITH 6400 LBS OF FUEL (WELL ABOVE THE FAR MINIMUMS OF 4000 LBS PLUS 2100 LBS REQUIRED FOR OUR ALTERNATE), BUT HIS COURSE OF ACTION WAS JUSTIFIED, I FELT, BY THE CLOSURE OF OUR FIRST ALTERNATE AND INACCESSIBILITY OF OUR 2ND ALTERNATE.

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.