B737-300 flight crew declares a fuel emergency during approach to ZZZ.

Attributes
ACN	723485
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	723485
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Coming out of extended holding we told center that we were minimum fuel. Shortly after being switched to approach we asked how long the final was and were told 'no more than 20 mi' and slowed to 170 KTS. Based on our position (still 20 mi from the airport) the potential long final and the fuel burn at flaps 10 degrees; I declared emergency fuel. Our fuel at this point was 4.6 (far was 3.7) and we were showing landing with 3.8. I felt that if we continued without priority we would have landed with 3.0 or less which I was uncomfortable with and felt was unsafe due to the winds and delays in the event of a go around. We received expedited handling from that point and landed uneventfully with 3.7 fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW DECLARES A FUEL EMER DURING APCH TO ZZZ.

Narrative: COMING OUT OF EXTENDED HOLDING WE TOLD CTR THAT WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL. SHORTLY AFTER BEING SWITCHED TO APCH WE ASKED HOW LONG THE FINAL WAS AND WERE TOLD 'NO MORE THAN 20 MI' AND SLOWED TO 170 KTS. BASED ON OUR POS (STILL 20 MI FROM THE ARPT) THE POTENTIAL LONG FINAL AND THE FUEL BURN AT FLAPS 10 DEGS; I DECLARED EMER FUEL. OUR FUEL AT THIS POINT WAS 4.6 (FAR WAS 3.7) AND WE WERE SHOWING LNDG WITH 3.8. I FELT THAT IF WE CONTINUED WITHOUT PRIORITY WE WOULD HAVE LANDED WITH 3.0 OR LESS WHICH I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH AND FELT WAS UNSAFE DUE TO THE WINDS AND DELAYS IN THE EVENT OF A GAR. WE RECEIVED EXPEDITED HANDLING FROM THAT POINT AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY WITH 3.7 FUEL.

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.