Air carrier medium large transport started approach with WX below minimums. Approach abandoned.

Attributes
ACN	100841
Time
Date	198812
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msy
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msy
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	100841
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	100838
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approach into msy, was given WX at airport followed by statement: 'all airplanes ahead of you have reported breaking out at about minimums.' we had been on duty 13 hours and fog at airport was a local condition as WX was VFR everywhere else. It had been a clear night all the way from chicago. All the above lulled me into planning for a successful approach rather than checking actual minimums. As I am relatively new on the airplane I was more concerned that the approach was conducted properly than with the actual minimums. We got up for a CAT ii approach even though the WX was above CAT ii minimums. We were on the approach inside the marker when it dawned on me that WX was above CAT ii, but below CAT I, and that runway 28 at msy is only a CAT I runway. RVR was reported as 1800 and we needed 2400. We executed a missed approach from that point and proceeded to our alternate. Another factor that contributed to my desire to land was that we did not have much extra fuel. What finally turned on the light in my head was another carrier refusing the same approach. Another fact that amazes me is that I am not yet CAT ii qualified on this airplane, yet I was thinking CAT ii all the way. I guess that is because I have been CAT ii qualified for yrs as a first officer and in training all stress is to CAT ii minimums. CAT I minimums just never entered my mind. Missed approach was started at about 1200' AGL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG STARTED APCH WITH WX BELOW MINIMUMS. APCH ABANDONED.

Narrative: APCH INTO MSY, WAS GIVEN WX AT ARPT FOLLOWED BY STATEMENT: 'ALL AIRPLANES AHEAD OF YOU HAVE RPTED BREAKING OUT AT ABOUT MINIMUMS.' WE HAD BEEN ON DUTY 13 HRS AND FOG AT ARPT WAS A LCL CONDITION AS WX WAS VFR EVERYWHERE ELSE. IT HAD BEEN A CLEAR NIGHT ALL THE WAY FROM CHICAGO. ALL THE ABOVE LULLED ME INTO PLANNING FOR A SUCCESSFUL APCH RATHER THAN CHKING ACTUAL MINIMUMS. AS I AM RELATIVELY NEW ON THE AIRPLANE I WAS MORE CONCERNED THAT THE APCH WAS CONDUCTED PROPERLY THAN WITH THE ACTUAL MINIMUMS. WE GOT UP FOR A CAT II APCH EVEN THOUGH THE WX WAS ABOVE CAT II MINIMUMS. WE WERE ON THE APCH INSIDE THE MARKER WHEN IT DAWNED ON ME THAT WX WAS ABOVE CAT II, BUT BELOW CAT I, AND THAT RWY 28 AT MSY IS ONLY A CAT I RWY. RVR WAS RPTED AS 1800 AND WE NEEDED 2400. WE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH FROM THAT POINT AND PROCEEDED TO OUR ALTERNATE. ANOTHER FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTED TO MY DESIRE TO LAND WAS THAT WE DID NOT HAVE MUCH EXTRA FUEL. WHAT FINALLY TURNED ON THE LIGHT IN MY HEAD WAS ANOTHER CARRIER REFUSING THE SAME APCH. ANOTHER FACT THAT AMAZES ME IS THAT I AM NOT YET CAT II QUALIFIED ON THIS AIRPLANE, YET I WAS THINKING CAT II ALL THE WAY. I GUESS THAT IS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN CAT II QUALIFIED FOR YRS AS A F/O AND IN TRNING ALL STRESS IS TO CAT II MINIMUMS. CAT I MINIMUMS JUST NEVER ENTERED MY MIND. MISSED APCH WAS STARTED AT ABOUT 1200' AGL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.