A B737-300 flight crew has to declare a fuel emergency after they have refused 2 requests for speed ...

Attributes
ACN	597232
Time
Date	200310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : orf.vortac
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 9500
ASRS Report	597232
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	597234
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Airport ATC Facility ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Upon arrival at rdu we were cleared for the visual approach to runway 5R. Turning final the approach controller called and said the rdu tower had filled with smoke and the tower was being evacuate/evacuationed. He had us break off the approach, giving us a new altitude and heading, which we complied with. We were then given holding instructions to hold on the runway 5R localizer. At this time we contacted dispatch and informed them what was happening. The dispatcher said he would check alternate plans and fuel burns. We also checked our options should we need to divert. Orf looked good for WX, being close and also downwind. After entering the hold we checked with approach control to see what they knew. They said they had no idea how long the tower would be closed. We informed dispatch and told them we thought we should go ahead and divert to orf as we were down to 5800 pounds of fuel. Dispatch concurred with that decision, gave us a fuel burn (1800 pounds) and changed our release to reflect the divert to orf. We informed approach we needed to divert to orf and they immediately turned us out of the holding pattern with a clearance to orf. We were turned over to ZDC and cleared to FL230. We climbed at best angle of climb and then flew at reduced airspeed to conserve fuel. ZDC asked us if we could pick up our airspeed. We stated that we were unable -- trying to save fuel. He then asked us to take a turn off course. We again stated we were unable due to fuel concerns. I do not remember his response, but I know he really wanted us to make a change. At that time I asked my first officer to declare a fuel emergency. I was trying to plan ahead for anything we might be confronted with at orf and conserve as much fuel as possible any way we could. We were then cleared direct to orf and able to remain at FL230 until descent at our discretion. We descended into orf straight into the landing runway without incident. Next time I will ask for the closest airport with least fuel burn possible. Supplemental information from acn 597234: ZDC asked us to speed up and we advised them that we were unable due to fuel concerns. ZDC then asked us to turn off course, again we told him that because for fuel we were unable. His response (he really wanted us to speed up or turn) left us no choice, but to declare a fuel emergency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 FLT CREW HAS TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER AFTER THEY HAVE REFUSED 2 REQUESTS FOR SPD AND HEADING CHANGES FROM ZDC CTLR WHILE ENRTE TO THE ALTERNATE ARPT AT ORF, VA.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT RDU WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 5R. TURNING FINAL THE APCH CTLR CALLED AND SAID THE RDU TWR HAD FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THE TWR WAS BEING EVACED. HE HAD US BREAK OFF THE APCH, GIVING US A NEW ALT AND HEADING, WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH. WE WERE THEN GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD ON THE RWY 5R LOC. AT THIS TIME WE CONTACTED DISPATCH AND INFORMED THEM WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THE DISPATCHER SAID HE WOULD CHK ALTERNATE PLANS AND FUEL BURNS. WE ALSO CHKED OUR OPTIONS SHOULD WE NEED TO DIVERT. ORF LOOKED GOOD FOR WX, BEING CLOSE AND ALSO DOWNWIND. AFTER ENTERING THE HOLD WE CHKED WITH APCH CTL TO SEE WHAT THEY KNEW. THEY SAID THEY HAD NO IDEA HOW LONG THE TWR WOULD BE CLOSED. WE INFORMED DISPATCH AND TOLD THEM WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND DIVERT TO ORF AS WE WERE DOWN TO 5800 LBS OF FUEL. DISPATCH CONCURRED WITH THAT DECISION, GAVE US A FUEL BURN (1800 LBS) AND CHANGED OUR RELEASE TO REFLECT THE DIVERT TO ORF. WE INFORMED APCH WE NEEDED TO DIVERT TO ORF AND THEY IMMEDIATELY TURNED US OUT OF THE HOLDING PATTERN WITH A CLRNC TO ORF. WE WERE TURNED OVER TO ZDC AND CLRED TO FL230. WE CLBED AT BEST ANGLE OF CLB AND THEN FLEW AT REDUCED AIRSPD TO CONSERVE FUEL. ZDC ASKED US IF WE COULD PICK UP OUR AIRSPD. WE STATED THAT WE WERE UNABLE -- TRYING TO SAVE FUEL. HE THEN ASKED US TO TAKE A TURN OFF COURSE. WE AGAIN STATED WE WERE UNABLE DUE TO FUEL CONCERNS. I DO NOT REMEMBER HIS RESPONSE, BUT I KNOW HE REALLY WANTED US TO MAKE A CHANGE. AT THAT TIME I ASKED MY FO TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER. I WAS TRYING TO PLAN AHEAD FOR ANYTHING WE MIGHT BE CONFRONTED WITH AT ORF AND CONSERVE AS MUCH FUEL AS POSSIBLE ANY WAY WE COULD. WE WERE THEN CLRED DIRECT TO ORF AND ABLE TO REMAIN AT FL230 UNTIL DSCNT AT OUR DISCRETION. WE DSNDED INTO ORF STRAIGHT INTO THE LNDG RWY WITHOUT INCIDENT. NEXT TIME I WILL ASK FOR THE CLOSEST ARPT WITH LEAST FUEL BURN POSSIBLE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 597234: ZDC ASKED US TO SPD UP AND WE ADVISED THEM THAT WE WERE UNABLE DUE TO FUEL CONCERNS. ZDC THEN ASKED US TO TURN OFF COURSE, AGAIN WE TOLD HIM THAT BECAUSE FOR FUEL WE WERE UNABLE. HIS RESPONSE (HE REALLY WANTED US TO SPD UP OR TURN) LEFT US NO CHOICE, BUT TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER.

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.

A B737-300 flight crew has to declare a fuel emergency after they have refused 2 requests for speed and heading changes from ZDC controller while en route to the alternate airport at orf, va.