Narrative:

Clear WX at ord (origination), en route and at cle (destination). No alternate planned or needed and minimum hold fuel on board. Dispatch planned fuel was completely adequate for the conditions. Had taxi delays at ord which doubled our normal taxi time. Still had sufficient fuel for our cle arrival. Approaching cle we were told to expect holding for 20 mins for heavy inbound traffic from east. Immediately knew we couldn't hold that long, so we declared 'minimum fuel.' ATC started us downwind but next controller said we were #17 to land and expect 40 NM downwind. Our fuel did not allow that much delay, so we declared an emergency and were promptly given vector to the airport. ATC handling was good and as expected. We and the dispatcher were unprepared for the heavy traffic on a clear night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 DECLARES FUEL EMER AFTER ENCOUNTERING UNEXPECTED TFC DELAY IN CLE AIRSPACE.

Narrative: CLR WX AT ORD (ORIGINATION), ENRTE AND AT CLE (DEST). NO ALTERNATE PLANNED OR NEEDED AND MINIMUM HOLD FUEL ON BOARD. DISPATCH PLANNED FUEL WAS COMPLETELY ADEQUATE FOR THE CONDITIONS. HAD TAXI DELAYS AT ORD WHICH DOUBLED OUR NORMAL TAXI TIME. STILL HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR OUR CLE ARR. APCHING CLE WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT HOLDING FOR 20 MINS FOR HVY INBOUND TFC FROM E. IMMEDIATELY KNEW WE COULDN'T HOLD THAT LONG, SO WE DECLARED 'MINIMUM FUEL.' ATC STARTED US DOWNWIND BUT NEXT CTLR SAID WE WERE #17 TO LAND AND EXPECT 40 NM DOWNWIND. OUR FUEL DID NOT ALLOW THAT MUCH DELAY, SO WE DECLARED AN EMER AND WERE PROMPTLY GIVEN VECTOR TO THE ARPT. ATC HANDLING WAS GOOD AND AS EXPECTED. WE AND THE DISPATCHER WERE UNPREPARED FOR THE HVY TFC ON A CLR NIGHT.

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.