Narrative:

On a scheduled flight I reviewed the WX at srq for a flight to rsw. The forecasted WX was clear with occasional 4FH till XC00 am. Our planned arrival was XA30 am. After departure from the gate rsw WX degraded to 200 overcast, partial obscuration 1/2 F at XA19 local. However, ATIS called for WX to be 300 overcast with 1/2 F. We elected to attempt an approach at rsw. When switch to tower on final approach to ILS runway 6, we were informed that the RVR was 3500'. At the missed approach point we were solid IFR and executed a missed approach. Fuel at this time easily allowed us to return to srq, but feeling that the WX at srq may be rapidly deteriorating I elected to declare an emergency for minimum fuel. Additionally, I felt that the WX reports were slow in being announced, causing me to feel that I wasn't getting the big picture. We uneventfully landed at srq with 8000 pounds of fuel (just under 1 hour of flight time). This is a lot of remaining fuel, but when fl is known to have large areas of ground fog, the strong possibility of srq going below minimums existed. Feeling that I wasn't getting updated WX fast enough, I decided to be aggressive to get the aircraft headed in the right direction. Reflecting on the flight while safely on the ground, I still conclude that the decision was a good one for this flight. Supplemental information from acn 159326: forecast WX required no alternate. After takeoff rsw WX deteriorated. As sun began to rise missed approach to ILS 6 due to fog and poor forward visibility toward sun.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT UNABLE TO COMPLETE APCH TO RSW HAD TO MAKE A GO AROUND THEN DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL TO GET EXPEDITED HANDLING BACK TO POINT OF DEP.

Narrative: ON A SCHEDULED FLT I REVIEWED THE WX AT SRQ FOR A FLT TO RSW. THE FORECASTED WX WAS CLR WITH OCCASIONAL 4FH TILL XC00 AM. OUR PLANNED ARR WAS XA30 AM. AFTER DEP FROM THE GATE RSW WX DEGRADED TO 200 OVCST, PARTIAL OBSCURATION 1/2 F AT XA19 LCL. HOWEVER, ATIS CALLED FOR WX TO BE 300 OVCST WITH 1/2 F. WE ELECTED TO ATTEMPT AN APCH AT RSW. WHEN SWITCH TO TWR ON FINAL APCH TO ILS RWY 6, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE RVR WAS 3500'. AT THE MISSED APCH POINT WE WERE SOLID IFR AND EXECUTED A MISSED APCH. FUEL AT THIS TIME EASILY ALLOWED US TO RETURN TO SRQ, BUT FEELING THAT THE WX AT SRQ MAY BE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING I ELECTED TO DECLARE AN EMER FOR MINIMUM FUEL. ADDITIONALLY, I FELT THAT THE WX RPTS WERE SLOW IN BEING ANNOUNCED, CAUSING ME TO FEEL THAT I WASN'T GETTING THE BIG PICTURE. WE UNEVENTFULLY LANDED AT SRQ WITH 8000 LBS OF FUEL (JUST UNDER 1 HR OF FLT TIME). THIS IS A LOT OF REMAINING FUEL, BUT WHEN FL IS KNOWN TO HAVE LARGE AREAS OF GND FOG, THE STRONG POSSIBILITY OF SRQ GOING BELOW MINIMUMS EXISTED. FEELING THAT I WASN'T GETTING UPDATED WX FAST ENOUGH, I DECIDED TO BE AGGRESSIVE TO GET THE ACFT HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. REFLECTING ON THE FLT WHILE SAFELY ON THE GND, I STILL CONCLUDE THAT THE DECISION WAS A GOOD ONE FOR THIS FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 159326: FORECAST WX REQUIRED NO ALTERNATE. AFTER TKOF RSW WX DETERIORATED. AS SUN BEGAN TO RISE MISSED APCH TO ILS 6 DUE TO FOG AND POOR FORWARD VISIBILITY TOWARD SUN.

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.