Date: 201305
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: IMC
Weather elements / visibility: Rain; 3
Light: Dusk
Aircraft: Golden Eagle 421
Operator: Corporate
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Aircraft component: ILS/VOR
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Corporate
Reporter function: Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Declared Emergency
Contributing factors: Procedure; Aircraft
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: Total on board-6 fuel onboard- 140 gallons burn time 50 gallons the first hour then 42 each hour after. Fuel on board met criteria of destination plus alternate plus 45 minutes for the flight. We arrived at our destination and could not complete approach due to the failure of the glideslope on HSI. We went missed and requested clearance to another airprot. Weather was the factor in requesting rather than going to the alternate. The weather was adequate for landing without the glideslope. At my first call to our new destination; I told the ATC that I would be low on fuel and that we had had the equipment failure. ATC said that they were trying to work us into a slot. They offered an ILS approach; which I could not take. ATC asked me to go to a different airport. I again told them that I did not have a working glideslope and needed the better weather. I asked for a RNAV overlay approach to the same runway. This was granted. The ATC then flew me through the final approach course line and had not yet cleared me for the final approach. I told the ATC yet again; that I was fuel critical and was informed that they were 'working on it' and it would be a 'few more minutes' They did not indicate how long that 'few more minutes' would be. At this point I was flying away from the runway; not towards it. I felt that I was not given adequate 'assistance in a minimum fuel situation' with declared equipment failure; and that I was put into an unsafe situation of 'undue delay' (U.S. Department of Transportation; Federal Aviation Administration; Air Traffic Organization Policy; Order JO 7110.65U; date of issue 02/09/2012). My priority being the safety of the six souls on board; I felt that I had no choice but to declare an emergency fuel situation.




Synopsis: When a failed glideslope indicator prevented landing at their destination the pilot of a CE421 elected to divert to an airport other than the planned alternate because it had ceilings that would not require a glideslope. The longer diversion made the fuel situation critical and ATC wasn't sufficiently responsive to their needs. An emergency was then declared.