Scheduled cargo operation flight crew continued approach when inside FAF and RVR lowered.

Attributes
ACN	127754
Time
Date	198911
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3600 msl bound upper : 3600
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt tower : clt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
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 : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	127754
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The flight was a scheduled flight from atl to clt. 40 mi outside of clt, ARTCC informed me that clt WX was C 100 ovc, sky obscured, visibility 1/16 of a mi. As we neared the airport the RVR for runway 36L fluctuated from 1800 RVR to 1200, company operations specifications have a minimum of 1800 RVR for any type of approach. The RVR rose to 1800, we departed the holding fix and began the approach. At approximately 7 DME out on the 36L localizer tower informed us the RVR was 1000 and asked our intentions, I said we would continue the pilot/passenger in the right seat said we shouldn't. This was definitely the wrong time for discussions. He thought that because we were outside of the maltese cross we hadn't crossed the final approach fix. On an ILS approach, using nos plates there is a lightning bolt depicted. Anytime the glide slope is intercepted inside of the lightning bolt that point serves as the final approach fix. On 36L at clt, the lightning bolt is 11.9 DME, we intercepted the glide path here and therefore, were 4 mi inside the final approach fix. In the scheduled carrier business all pilots must know the FARS, so as to prevent arguments during critical phases of flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SCHEDULED CARGO OPERATION FLT CREW CONTINUED APCH WHEN INSIDE FAF AND RVR LOWERED.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS A SCHEDULED FLT FROM ATL TO CLT. 40 MI OUTSIDE OF CLT, ARTCC INFORMED ME THAT CLT WX WAS C 100 OVC, SKY OBSCURED, VISIBILITY 1/16 OF A MI. AS WE NEARED THE ARPT THE RVR FOR RWY 36L FLUCTUATED FROM 1800 RVR TO 1200, COMPANY OPS SPECS HAVE A MINIMUM OF 1800 RVR FOR ANY TYPE OF APCH. THE RVR ROSE TO 1800, WE DEPARTED THE HOLDING FIX AND BEGAN THE APCH. AT APPROX 7 DME OUT ON THE 36L LOC TWR INFORMED US THE RVR WAS 1000 AND ASKED OUR INTENTIONS, I SAID WE WOULD CONTINUE THE PLT/PAX IN THE RIGHT SEAT SAID WE SHOULDN'T. THIS WAS DEFINITELY THE WRONG TIME FOR DISCUSSIONS. HE THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE WE WERE OUTSIDE OF THE MALTESE CROSS WE HADN'T CROSSED THE FINAL APCH FIX. ON AN ILS APCH, USING NOS PLATES THERE IS A LIGHTNING BOLT DEPICTED. ANYTIME THE GLIDE SLOPE IS INTERCEPTED INSIDE OF THE LIGHTNING BOLT THAT POINT SERVES AS THE FINAL APCH FIX. ON 36L AT CLT, THE LIGHTNING BOLT IS 11.9 DME, WE INTERCEPTED THE GLIDE PATH HERE AND THEREFORE, WERE 4 MI INSIDE THE FINAL APCH FIX. IN THE SCHEDULED CARRIER BUSINESS ALL PLTS MUST KNOW THE FARS, SO AS TO PREVENT ARGUMENTS DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT.

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.