Narrative:

Departed with enough fuel to put us on at jfk with about 2000 pounds over reserve plus alternate due to load/altitude constraints. Dispatcher and I watched weather with a consideration of stopping for fuel. ZNY issued a hold at jenno. I advised dispatch and said I was considering diverting to our revised alternate. Dispatch said most of the aircraft ahead of us had diverted and flights were now getting into jfk. Weather reports indicated the winds had let up some and in less than one turn in holding we were cleared on along the arrival. Alternate fuel was 5727 pounds and reserve fuel was 4591 pounds. I set my bingo fuel at 11000 pounds. We turned onto the localizer at 2500 ft with 12000 pounds of fuel gear down flaps twenty 170 KTS in moderate turbulence. Almost immediately after rolling out we encountered severe turbulence that included a forty knot speed increase causing a flap over speed. A go around was begun and ATC advised of the severe turbulence. We obtained a clearance for our alternate and upon checking fuel at the top of climb; I was concerned to see only 7600 pounds. I told ATC that I was only a few hundred pounds from declaring a fuel emergency and ask for as direct a route as they could give me. ATC declared an emergency for us and cleared us direct. We landed without further incident with 4700 pounds. I entered both the severe turbulence and flap over speed in the maintenance log. I believe the decision to continue from jenno based on the current reports we had received was reasonable. While we did land at our alternate with just over reserve fuel that would not be the case had I not started to go around with 12000 pounds.? I believe that the fuel figures for go around are suspect and should be reviewed. I am going to add 2000 pounds for the 757 until we have looked at them. Also; in the future; I will declare the emergency myself as soon as I begin thinking it necessary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 Crew reported executing a go around during an approach to JFK because of severe turbulence. An unexpected fuel burn during holding required the crew to advise ATC about the possible low fuel. ATC declared an emergency for them and cleared them direct to the alternate airport.

Narrative: Departed with enough fuel to put us on at JFK with about 2000 LBS over reserve plus alternate due to load/altitude constraints. Dispatcher and I watched weather with a consideration of stopping for fuel. ZNY issued a hold at JENNO. I advised Dispatch and said I was considering diverting to our revised alternate. Dispatch said most of the aircraft ahead of us had diverted and flights were now getting into JFK. Weather reports indicated the winds had let up some and in less than one turn in holding we were cleared on along the arrival. Alternate fuel was 5727 LBS and reserve fuel was 4591 LBS. I set my bingo fuel at 11000 LBS. We turned onto the localizer at 2500 FT with 12000 LBS of fuel gear down flaps twenty 170 KTS in moderate turbulence. Almost immediately after rolling out we encountered severe turbulence that included a forty knot speed increase causing a flap over speed. A go around was begun and ATC advised of the severe turbulence. We obtained a clearance for our alternate and upon checking fuel at the top of climb; I was concerned to see only 7600 LBS. I told ATC that I was only a few hundred pounds from declaring a fuel emergency and ask for as direct a route as they could give me. ATC declared an emergency for us and cleared us direct. We landed without further incident with 4700 LBS. I entered both the severe turbulence and flap over speed in the Maintenance Log. I believe the decision to continue from JENNO based on the current reports we had received was reasonable. While we did land at our alternate with just over reserve fuel that would not be the case had I not started to go around with 12000 LBS.? I believe that the fuel figures for go around are suspect and should be reviewed. I am going to add 2000 LBS for the 757 until we have looked at them. Also; in the future; I will declare the emergency myself as soon as I begin thinking it necessary.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.