<< >> NASA ASRS Report 731922, March 2007

B737-400 flight crew declares minimum fuel; requests divert to alternate; emergency declared by tower and flight crew lands.

Attributes
ACN	731922
Time
Date	200703
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
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
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	731922
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Evidently ATC understood and declared emergency for us as we only declared min fuel. Holding en route to ZZZ on arrival; after sequenced holds was given new alternate of ZZZ1. Efc changed numerous times and after accepting new alternate from dispatch; declared 'min fuel' on planned last turn in holding and relayed new alternate was ZZZ1. Approach said stand by and would try to work us in ZZZ. Subsequently they would have to give further delay; so at that time approach cleared us to ZZZ1 and the given arrival. When turned for intercept; approach asked for fuel and passenger on board. We concurred and queried that we did not declare an emergency; only min fuel. Were switched to tower and tower stated they declared the emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 FLT CREW DECLARES MINIMUM FUEL; REQUESTS DIVERT TO ALTERNATE; EMER DECLARED BY TOWER AND FLT CREW LANDS.

Narrative: EVIDENTLY ATC UNDERSTOOD AND DECLARED EMERGENCY FOR US AS WE ONLY DECLARED MIN FUEL. HOLDING ENRTE TO ZZZ ON ARRIVAL; AFTER SEQUENCED HOLDS WAS GIVEN NEW ALTERNATE OF ZZZ1. EFC CHANGED NUMEROUS TIMES AND AFTER ACCEPTING NEW ALTERNATE FROM DISPATCH; DECLARED 'MIN FUEL' ON PLANNED LAST TURN IN HOLDING AND RELAYED NEW ALTERNATE WAS ZZZ1. APCH SAID STAND BY AND WOULD TRY TO WORK US IN ZZZ. SUBSEQUENTLY THEY WOULD HAVE TO GIVE FURTHER DELAY; SO AT THAT TIME APCH CLEARED US TO ZZZ1 AND THE GIVEN ARRIVAL. WHEN TURNED FOR INTERCEPT; APCH ASKED FOR FUEL AND PAX ON BOARD. WE CONCURRED AND QUERIED THAT WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; ONLY MIN FUEL. WERE SWITCHED TO TWR AND TOWER STATED THEY DECLARED THE EMERGENCY.

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.