Narrative:

On a scheduled flight from san diego to the imperial co airport, we encountered many thunderstorms along our route of flight and ended up sse of imperial when we were able to continue to imperial. At this time we contacted the control tower at naf el centro to get the current WX in the area. The tower told my copilot that the WX was VFR winds out of the east at about 15-20 mph. At that time ZLA advised us that the WX at imperial was 2 1/2 mi. At that time we were 12 mi sse of imperial and could clearly see the imperial airport. We could also see the el centro naf station clearly. The visibility report at imperial airport in my opinion was highly inaccurate based on the current WX report at el centro naf and my own perceptions. The thunderstorms were quickly growing in severity and in order to evaluate the situation clearly I continued the flight VFR and landed imperial airport. Also take note that the approach into imperial was not in operation. I based my decision on the current WX report at el centro naf and a similar occurrence that happened to one of the pilots I work with just 1 week prior to my flight into the same airport. I believe the procedures involved determining visibility at the imperial co airport need to be reevaluated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF COMMUTER CANCELLED IFR FOR VFR APCH TO IMPERIAL WHEN VISIBILITY REPORTED BELOW 3 MILES.

Narrative: ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM SAN DIEGO TO THE IMPERIAL CO ARPT, WE ENCOUNTERED MANY TSTMS ALONG OUR ROUTE OF FLT AND ENDED UP SSE OF IMPERIAL WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO IMPERIAL. AT THIS TIME WE CONTACTED THE CTL TWR AT NAF EL CENTRO TO GET THE CURRENT WX IN THE AREA. THE TWR TOLD MY COPLT THAT THE WX WAS VFR WINDS OUT OF THE E AT ABOUT 15-20 MPH. AT THAT TIME ZLA ADVISED US THAT THE WX AT IMPERIAL WAS 2 1/2 MI. AT THAT TIME WE WERE 12 MI SSE OF IMPERIAL AND COULD CLEARLY SEE THE IMPERIAL ARPT. WE COULD ALSO SEE THE EL CENTRO NAF STATION CLEARLY. THE VISIBILITY REPORT AT IMPERIAL ARPT IN MY OPINION WAS HIGHLY INACCURATE BASED ON THE CURRENT WX REPORT AT EL CENTRO NAF AND MY OWN PERCEPTIONS. THE TSTMS WERE QUICKLY GROWING IN SEVERITY AND IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE SITUATION CLEARLY I CONTINUED THE FLT VFR AND LANDED IMPERIAL ARPT. ALSO TAKE NOTE THAT THE APCH INTO IMPERIAL WAS NOT IN OPERATION. I BASED MY DECISION ON THE CURRENT WX REPORT AT EL CENTRO NAF AND A SIMILAR OCCURRENCE THAT HAPPENED TO ONE OF THE PLTS I WORK WITH JUST 1 WEEK PRIOR TO MY FLT INTO THE SAME ARPT. I BELIEVE THE PROCS INVOLVED DETERMINING VISIBILITY AT THE IMPERIAL CO ARPT NEED TO BE REEVALUATED.

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.