Air taxi flight crew made landing below RVR minimum.

Attributes
ACN	126326
Time
Date	198910
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : roc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : roc tower : roc tower : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7100
ASRS Report	126326
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 1800
ASRS Report	126296
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather 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	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were inbound to roc. Approach control advised us tower visibility was approximately 4 mi in fog. RVR was reported at 1000'. As approach control turned us inbound on the ILS approach, we asked them to turn the lights up full bright, and we picked up visibility contact with the runway approximately 8 mi out before we were cleared for the approach. Under 135 far, it prohibits aircraft from initiating the approach with below landing minimums being reported. I elected to use the tower visibility, which was well above minimums and was consistent with what we were seeing in, flight and continued the approach and landing under VFR conditions, and remained that way throughout the landing, at no time needing instrument navigation. I believe you could not duplicate this situation in the next 100 yrs if you tried because I have been flying for 10 yrs and 7000 hours west/O ever having this happen. To help prevent it from happening again I feel the tower/approach control should give only 1 visibility and not add confusion to the situation by giving 2.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI FLT CREW MADE LNDG BELOW RVR MINIMUM.

Narrative: WE WERE INBND TO ROC. APCH CTL ADVISED US TWR VISIBILITY WAS APPROX 4 MI IN FOG. RVR WAS RPTED AT 1000'. AS APCH CTL TURNED US INBND ON THE ILS APCH, WE ASKED THEM TO TURN THE LIGHTS UP FULL BRIGHT, AND WE PICKED UP VIS CONTACT WITH THE RWY APPROX 8 MI OUT BEFORE WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. UNDER 135 FAR, IT PROHIBITS ACFT FROM INITIATING THE APCH WITH BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS BEING RPTED. I ELECTED TO USE THE TWR VISIBILITY, WHICH WAS WELL ABOVE MINIMUMS AND WAS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE WERE SEEING IN, FLT AND CONTINUED THE APCH AND LNDG UNDER VFR CONDITIONS, AND REMAINED THAT WAY THROUGHOUT THE LNDG, AT NO TIME NEEDING INSTRUMENT NAV. I BELIEVE YOU COULD NOT DUPLICATE THIS SITUATION IN THE NEXT 100 YRS IF YOU TRIED BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR 10 YRS AND 7000 HRS W/O EVER HAVING THIS HAPPEN. TO HELP PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN I FEEL THE TWR/APCH CTL SHOULD GIVE ONLY 1 VISIBILITY AND NOT ADD CONFUSION TO THE SITUATION BY GIVING 2.

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.