EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Procedure; Airspace Structure
After lengthy vectors; and slowing to speeds requiring flap extension we had to perform a go around while on approach with the River Visual 19. Vectored back around for another river visual with same slow speeds at low altitude resulted in us hitting min-fuel numbers mid-approach. Due to the high workload we refrained from attempting to interject on a busy tower frequency to declare min fuel; as we were already well established on the approach. In retrospect; I should have just delegated to have the First Officer declare min fuel in accordance with Company Policy.
After an extended period of vectors and speed changes for sequencing into DCA; we were forced to go-around from the river visual runway 19 at 300ft agl. While being vectored back into sequence and turning back towards the river visual inbound to Fergi; the amber caution for min fuel illuminated. A high workload caused by scanning for dense traffic and setting back up for another approach; as well as considering we were already in sequence; cleared for the approach and inbound to land lead to the decision to focus more on the task at hand rather than waiting and attempting to make a call on the congested frequency.An attempt by me as pilot monitoring still should have been made to atc to advise them of our min fuel situation as soon as any opening came up after everything was set up for the approach to hopefully prevent yet another go-around.
ERJ-175 flight crew reported not declaring 'Minimum Fuel' during assigned go-around vectors for another approach due to congested landing traffic and high workload.