Flight crew questions the legality of accepting a side step to a parallel runway when visibility is ...

Attributes
ACN	149988
Time
Date	199006
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	149988
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

WX reported 8000' 2 1/2 visibility flight was cleared for ILS approach to maintain 170 KTS to the marker and change to the tower at the marker. Changed to tower frequency and reported passing the marker. Tower requested we reduce to approach speed that preceding aircraft had slowed to 120 KTS G/south. Traffic was reported in sight 3 1/2 mi ahead. Tower asked if the parallel runway was in sight and could we land on that runway. Affirmative response was given. The runway was about 4 mi away. Tower cleared us to land on that runway. Threshold of the runway is about 2500' east of original landing runway so a turn to a base leg was made prior to turning final. Company operations specifications do not permit IFR circling copilot asked were we ok to maneuver to the parallel with 2 1/2 mi visibility. I responded that we had the airport and runways in sight at 5 mi. However after landing tower was still reporting 2 1/2 visibility. WX should be kept current especially during busy periods at airports.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW QUESTIONS THE LEGALITY OF ACCEPTING A SIDE STEP TO A PARALLEL RWY WHEN VISIBILITY IS REPORTED AT 2 PT 5 NM.

Narrative: WX RPTED 8000' 2 1/2 VIS FLT WAS CLRED FOR ILS APCH TO MAINTAIN 170 KTS TO THE MARKER AND CHANGE TO THE TWR AT THE MARKER. CHANGED TO TWR FREQ AND RPTED PASSING THE MARKER. TWR REQUESTED WE REDUCE TO APCH SPD THAT PRECEDING ACFT HAD SLOWED TO 120 KTS G/S. TFC WAS RPTED IN SIGHT 3 1/2 MI AHEAD. TWR ASKED IF THE PARALLEL RWY WAS IN SIGHT AND COULD WE LAND ON THAT RWY. AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE WAS GIVEN. THE RWY WAS ABOUT 4 MI AWAY. TWR CLRED US TO LAND ON THAT RWY. THRESHOLD OF THE RWY IS ABOUT 2500' E OF ORIGINAL LNDG RWY SO A TURN TO A BASE LEG WAS MADE PRIOR TO TURNING FINAL. COMPANY OPS SPECS DO NOT PERMIT IFR CIRCLING COPLT ASKED WERE WE OK TO MANEUVER TO THE PARALLEL WITH 2 1/2 MI VIS. I RESPONDED THAT WE HAD THE ARPT AND RWYS IN SIGHT AT 5 MI. HOWEVER AFTER LNDG TWR WAS STILL RPTING 2 1/2 VIS. WX SHOULD BE KEPT CURRENT ESPECIALLY DURING BUSY PERIODS AT ARPTS.

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.

Flight crew questions the legality of accepting a side step to a parallel runway when visibility is reported at 2 pt 5 NM.