Narrative:

I was over the dbl VOR and in contact with ase approach control. I was filed for a landing at ase. Ase approach was in the process of updating the current WX report for the ase airport and transmitting same to myself on 134.9 HZ. I was given a special WX observation as I was approaching dbl VOR. I responded to the controller, 'I copy.' I did not write the WX on anything, but tried to remember from memory. I had been cleared for a descent from FL200 to 13000' MSL. At approximately XX45 Z, I was asked 'what are your intentions?' I responded, 'I would like the approach.' I was then given a radar vector of 190 degrees to intercept the final approach course, remain at or above 13000' until established on the final approach, cleared for the VOR-DME C approach. I accepted the approach. I had remembered the WX report to be indefinite ceiling 1000', sky partially obscured, visibility approximately 1 mi. Light snow shoers, altimeter 30.07. This special observation, again, was given to me while I was descending to the dbl VOR in starting the VOR DME C approach. I felt, at the time of my approach to the published minimums, I was over 2 mi from the T/D point of the runway and was legal to complete the landing. I possibly misunderstood the revised 'special WX' due to my understanding of the report to be an estimate. Due to the previous landing of flight and the release of the other aircraft, I assumed my approach and landing could be completed safely and west/O violating the published approach minimums. I again assumed that if I arrived at the DH/miss approach procedure point and had the field in sight, I would then be legal to complete my circle-to-land maneuver and complete landing, and thus meet the requirements of the approach plate as published.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX CARGO FLT OPERATING UNDER FEDERAL AVIATION REG PART 135 INITIATES APCH WHEN WX REPORTED BY SPECIAL OBSERVATION IS LESS THAN MINIMUMS, AND COMPLETES APCH TO LNDG IN THE SAME CONDITIONS.

Narrative: I WAS OVER THE DBL VOR AND IN CONTACT WITH ASE APCH CTL. I WAS FILED FOR A LNDG AT ASE. ASE APCH WAS IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THE CURRENT WX RPT FOR THE ASE ARPT AND XMITTING SAME TO MYSELF ON 134.9 HZ. I WAS GIVEN A SPECIAL WX OBSERVATION AS I WAS APCHING DBL VOR. I RESPONDED TO THE CTLR, 'I COPY.' I DID NOT WRITE THE WX ON ANYTHING, BUT TRIED TO REMEMBER FROM MEMORY. I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A DSCNT FROM FL200 TO 13000' MSL. AT APPROX XX45 Z, I WAS ASKED 'WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS?' I RESPONDED, 'I WOULD LIKE THE APCH.' I WAS THEN GIVEN A RADAR VECTOR OF 190 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL APCH COURSE, REMAIN AT OR ABOVE 13000' UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE FINAL APCH, CLRED FOR THE VOR-DME C APCH. I ACCEPTED THE APCH. I HAD REMEMBERED THE WX RPT TO BE INDEFINITE CEILING 1000', SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED, VISIBILITY APPROX 1 MI. LIGHT SNOW SHOERS, ALTIMETER 30.07. THIS SPECIAL OBSERVATION, AGAIN, WAS GIVEN TO ME WHILE I WAS DSNDING TO THE DBL VOR IN STARTING THE VOR DME C APCH. I FELT, AT THE TIME OF MY APCH TO THE PUBLISHED MINIMUMS, I WAS OVER 2 MI FROM THE T/D POINT OF THE RWY AND WAS LEGAL TO COMPLETE THE LNDG. I POSSIBLY MISUNDERSTOOD THE REVISED 'SPECIAL WX' DUE TO MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE RPT TO BE AN ESTIMATE. DUE TO THE PREVIOUS LNDG OF FLT AND THE RELEASE OF THE OTHER ACFT, I ASSUMED MY APCH AND LNDG COULD BE COMPLETED SAFELY AND W/O VIOLATING THE PUBLISHED APCH MINIMUMS. I AGAIN ASSUMED THAT IF I ARRIVED AT THE DH/MISS APCH PROC POINT AND HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT, I WOULD THEN BE LEGAL TO COMPLETE MY CIRCLE-TO-LAND MANEUVER AND COMPLETE LNDG, AND THUS MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE APCH PLATE AS PUBLISHED.

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.