WX at sby reported as 1000 scattered 3 miles visibility. An ILS 32 approach was made by mdt commuter...

Attributes
ACN	114719
Time
Date	198906
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sby
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	114719
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

We were told by center to expect the visual approach to sby. WX was 1000 scattered 3 mi haze/fog. This was about XX30, told to report the airport in sight. We got the city in sight, but there were clouds over the field. It appeared as though the scattered layer went broken. We then requested the ILS to 32 due to the layer (WX report had not changed). We shot the approach and missed the approach. This was at approximately XX50. Center had us hold to launch a flight who was waiting for takeoff. We called company to let them know what we were doing. They gave no WX update. At about XY00 center cleared us out of the hold and for the approach. We flew the whole approach again on our own. At decision height we picked up the lights and runway and landed. Our in-flight visibility at decision height was estimated at mins (1/2 mi). I had later gone over to flight control (company operations on field) and asked them what the WX report was and how it is reported at night (FSS on field from XA00 local to XB00 local). He said that the XX56 observation was 0/0 that was about the time we missed the first approach. The dispatcher said that there is a state employee WX observer who makes the reports at night but it is rather slow to get in the system. Had I been notified of the WX report at XX56 observation we would not have even shot the approach. It is critical that this information be disseminated as fast as possible to company and center so they can give us that information (our last report received by center was 1000 scattered and 3 mi). The company dispatcher did not try to call the WX observer to get a special report because of past experience the observer will not answer the telephone regardless of how long you let it ring. We must have this information as soon as possible.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WX AT SBY REPORTED AS 1000 SCATTERED 3 MILES VISIBILITY. AN ILS 32 APCH WAS MADE BY MDT COMMUTER. WX HAD DETERIORATED TO BROKEN LOW LAYER WITH RESTRICTED VISIBILITY. APCH WAS MISSED. FLT HELD AND APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LATER MADE ANOTHER ILS 32 APCH. FIELD WAS SIGHTED AND ACFT WAS LANDED.

Narrative: WE WERE TOLD BY CENTER TO EXPECT THE VISUAL APCH TO SBY. WX WAS 1000 SCATTERED 3 MI HAZE/FOG. THIS WAS ABOUT XX30, TOLD TO REPORT THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE GOT THE CITY IN SIGHT, BUT THERE WERE CLOUDS OVER THE FIELD. IT APPEARED AS THOUGH THE SCATTERED LAYER WENT BROKEN. WE THEN REQUESTED THE ILS TO 32 DUE TO THE LAYER (WX REPORT HAD NOT CHANGED). WE SHOT THE APCH AND MISSED THE APCH. THIS WAS AT APPROX XX50. CENTER HAD US HOLD TO LAUNCH A FLT WHO WAS WAITING FOR TKOF. WE CALLED COMPANY TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING. THEY GAVE NO WX UPDATE. AT ABOUT XY00 CENTER CLRED US OUT OF THE HOLD AND FOR THE APCH. WE FLEW THE WHOLE APCH AGAIN ON OUR OWN. AT DECISION HEIGHT WE PICKED UP THE LIGHTS AND RWY AND LANDED. OUR INFLT VISIBILITY AT DECISION HEIGHT WAS ESTIMATED AT MINS (1/2 MI). I HAD LATER GONE OVER TO FLT CTL (COMPANY OPERATIONS ON FIELD) AND ASKED THEM WHAT THE WX REPORT WAS AND HOW IT IS REPORTED AT NIGHT (FSS ON FIELD FROM XA00 LCL TO XB00 LCL). HE SAID THAT THE XX56 OBSERVATION WAS 0/0 THAT WAS ABOUT THE TIME WE MISSED THE FIRST APCH. THE DISPATCHER SAID THAT THERE IS A STATE EMPLOYEE WX OBSERVER WHO MAKES THE REPORTS AT NIGHT BUT IT IS RATHER SLOW TO GET IN THE SYSTEM. HAD I BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE WX REPORT AT XX56 OBSERVATION WE WOULD NOT HAVE EVEN SHOT THE APCH. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THIS INFO BE DISSEMINATED AS FAST AS POSSIBLE TO COMPANY AND CENTER SO THEY CAN GIVE US THAT INFO (OUR LAST REPORT RECEIVED BY CENTER WAS 1000 SCATTERED AND 3 MI). THE COMPANY DISPATCHER DID NOT TRY TO CALL THE WX OBSERVER TO GET A SPECIAL REPORT BECAUSE OF PAST EXPERIENCE THE OBSERVER WILL NOT ANSWER THE TELEPHONE REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG YOU LET IT RING. WE MUST HAVE THIS INFO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

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.