Narrative:

On approach into mob, 20 NM from field, we were advised by center that WX had deteriorated to 1/4-mi visibility. We had the runway and approach lights in sight. Requested and center cleared us for the visibility approach. We had previously been cleared for the ILS 14. F/east had been in the previous night and mentioned unusual, and what he considered poor, WX reports. We continued down glidepath. I mentioned to the captain that we were shy of the required visibility for the approach (2400 RVR and 1/2 mi). I should have been more forceful. Mob FSS takes an average RVR and will report the high and low for a given period. Since RVR might have been above minimums, we continued. On the ILS, inside the OM, we contacted mob FSS for advisory. The WX was the same. RVR 1400-1800 (below minimums). We were now 1000' AGL. Runway and approach lights were still clearly in sight. I asked the captain what he wanted to do. We were in close, WX below minimums and no decision made. He said land. Fog was 50' thick. A successful landing was made. Stupid, is all I can say. I fully expected to hold. No way we should have landed. Kind of a bogus deal. Cleared for the visibility, but WX below minimums. One gets so used to hearing the right things and right decisions that this caught me off guard. I know, looking back, that we should not have begun the approach. At the time, I thought he knew something I didn't. Later, he (captain) said it was a gray area. Perhaps the RVR reports should be deleted. The previous night reported 1/4 mi visibility and RVR 1600-2600. After holding for 30 mins, that captain interpreted the RVR above the 2400 RVR required and landed. The RVR is ot accurate or time sensitive. It's just the maximum and minimum, the last rs or sp observation. If it's legal, fine. Publicize this. This is the first time I've seen this. My background is civilian and I've spent a lot of time at FSS, non tower type airports. If it's not legal, that should be stated (advisory only RVR) or eliminated from the report. I believe center was wrong when they cleared us for the visibility. He had just given us the WX report. Were we unsafe? No. Was the cockpit well-run? No. Were all resources used? No. Did we learn from this? I did--speak out!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BELOW MINIMUMS LNDG.

Narrative: ON APCH INTO MOB, 20 NM FROM FIELD, WE WERE ADVISED BY CENTER THAT WX HAD DETERIORATED TO 1/4-MI VISIBILITY. WE HAD THE RWY AND APCH LIGHTS IN SIGHT. REQUESTED AND CENTER CLRED US FOR THE VIS APCH. WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CLRED FOR THE ILS 14. F/E HAD BEEN IN THE PREVIOUS NIGHT AND MENTIONED UNUSUAL, AND WHAT HE CONSIDERED POOR, WX RPTS. WE CONTINUED DOWN GLIDEPATH. I MENTIONED TO THE CAPT THAT WE WERE SHY OF THE REQUIRED VISIBILITY FOR THE APCH (2400 RVR AND 1/2 MI). I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FORCEFUL. MOB FSS TAKES AN AVERAGE RVR AND WILL RPT THE HIGH AND LOW FOR A GIVEN PERIOD. SINCE RVR MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABOVE MINIMUMS, WE CONTINUED. ON THE ILS, INSIDE THE OM, WE CONTACTED MOB FSS FOR ADVISORY. THE WX WAS THE SAME. RVR 1400-1800 (BELOW MINIMUMS). WE WERE NOW 1000' AGL. RWY AND APCH LIGHTS WERE STILL CLEARLY IN SIGHT. I ASKED THE CAPT WHAT HE WANTED TO DO. WE WERE IN CLOSE, WX BELOW MINIMUMS AND NO DECISION MADE. HE SAID LAND. FOG WAS 50' THICK. A SUCCESSFUL LNDG WAS MADE. STUPID, IS ALL I CAN SAY. I FULLY EXPECTED TO HOLD. NO WAY WE SHOULD HAVE LANDED. KIND OF A BOGUS DEAL. CLRED FOR THE VIS, BUT WX BELOW MINIMUMS. ONE GETS SO USED TO HEARING THE RIGHT THINGS AND RIGHT DECISIONS THAT THIS CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD. I KNOW, LOOKING BACK, THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEGUN THE APCH. AT THE TIME, I THOUGHT HE KNEW SOMETHING I DIDN'T. LATER, HE (CAPT) SAID IT WAS A GRAY AREA. PERHAPS THE RVR RPTS SHOULD BE DELETED. THE PREVIOUS NIGHT RPTED 1/4 MI VISIBILITY AND RVR 1600-2600. AFTER HOLDING FOR 30 MINS, THAT CAPT INTERPRETED THE RVR ABOVE THE 2400 RVR REQUIRED AND LANDED. THE RVR IS OT ACCURATE OR TIME SENSITIVE. IT'S JUST THE MAX AND MINIMUM, THE LAST RS OR SP OBSERVATION. IF IT'S LEGAL, FINE. PUBLICIZE THIS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN THIS. MY BACKGROUND IS CIVILIAN AND I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT FSS, NON TWR TYPE ARPTS. IF IT'S NOT LEGAL, THAT SHOULD BE STATED (ADVISORY ONLY RVR) OR ELIMINATED FROM THE RPT. I BELIEVE CENTER WAS WRONG WHEN THEY CLRED US FOR THE VIS. HE HAD JUST GIVEN US THE WX RPT. WERE WE UNSAFE? NO. WAS THE COCKPIT WELL-RUN? NO. WERE ALL RESOURCES USED? NO. DID WE LEARN FROM THIS? I DID--SPEAK OUT!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.