A B737 holding for landing declared emergency fuel to expedite his arrival.

Attributes
ACN	709221
Time
Date	200609
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 21000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	709221
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Inbound to ZZZ we were given holding at XA55Z (FL370; fuel 7.8) efc XB30Z. We had enough gas to hold for 35 mins and then fly to ZZZ or bingo out and divert to YYY. At approximately XB15Z ZZZ opens up and the aircraft below us exits the hold. At XB20Z we are cleared out of holding. Flight in front of us is redirected to hold and they elect to divert to YYY. We declared minimum fuel in the hope of minimizing our delay. ZZZ approach indicated that aircraft were landing in ZZZ so we continued. We were directed to hold for other arrival traffic into ZZZ. Now 30 NM from YYY and 60 NM from ZZZ at FL210. At XB35Z I elected to declare emergency fuel to obtain priority handling into ZZZ. We were given an expedited descent and vectors into ZZZ and landed uneventfully. Fuel at touchdown was 4.3.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 HOLDING FOR LNDG DECLARED EMER FUEL TO EXPEDITE HIS ARR.

Narrative: INBOUND TO ZZZ WE WERE GIVEN HOLDING AT XA55Z (FL370; FUEL 7.8) EFC XB30Z. WE HAD ENOUGH GAS TO HOLD FOR 35 MINS AND THEN FLY TO ZZZ OR BINGO OUT AND DIVERT TO YYY. AT APPROX XB15Z ZZZ OPENS UP AND THE ACFT BELOW US EXITS THE HOLD. AT XB20Z WE ARE CLRED OUT OF HOLDING. FLT IN FRONT OF US IS REDIRECTED TO HOLD AND THEY ELECT TO DIVERT TO YYY. WE DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL IN THE HOPE OF MINIMIZING OUR DELAY. ZZZ APCH INDICATED THAT ACFT WERE LNDG IN ZZZ SO WE CONTINUED. WE WERE DIRECTED TO HOLD FOR OTHER ARR TFC INTO ZZZ. NOW 30 NM FROM YYY AND 60 NM FROM ZZZ AT FL210. AT XB35Z I ELECTED TO DECLARE EMER FUEL TO OBTAIN PRIORITY HANDLING INTO ZZZ. WE WERE GIVEN AN EXPEDITED DSCNT AND VECTORS INTO ZZZ AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. FUEL AT TOUCHDOWN WAS 4.3.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.