Narrative:

Chicago center gave us instructions to join the localizer for runway 29 at sbn. We were aware that the tower would not be open until later in the morning when we planned our flight from standiford, louisville, ky. Accordingly this was now the second morning in a row that center informed us that approach control would not be up until '15 mins from now.' we did not know that approach was only operating when the tower opened. I believe we had started the turn to join the localizer and had just passed the marker when approach control came on frequency and reported an RVR of 0. We were surprised and stated that we could see the runway fine. In fact we could see all the runway side lights. We continued the approach and tower gave us an RVR of 0 but said tower visibility was 2 1/2 mi and maybe the RVR was 'screwy'. In fact we expected some fog on the runway and in the flare I could see it was going to be somewhat dense and said 'what do you think?' to which the captain said 'put it in on the ground.' I lost the centerline for just a moment in the flare but retained runway side lights (barely) and markings on centerline at T/D and throughout the roll. I don't know what the real RVR was but certainly it was not the 2400 required for the approach. It was so easy to disregard the reported RVR given we could see all runway lights. I thank center for trying to help us expedite but maybe it would be better if they kept you well away from the FAF until approach is up and ready. Was it legal for us to continue this approach? I believe we were inside the marker at the time of recieving RVR reading at least that is my perception. But I know for a fact that if we were further out during that day of all night flying we would not have shot this approach having time to put it all together.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FRT ACFT LANDS WITH RVR BELOW LIMITS.

Narrative: CHICAGO CTR GAVE US INSTRUCTIONS TO JOIN THE LOC FOR RWY 29 AT SBN. WE WERE AWARE THAT THE TWR WOULD NOT BE OPEN UNTIL LATER IN THE MORNING WHEN WE PLANNED OUR FLT FROM STANDIFORD, LOUISVILLE, KY. ACCORDINGLY THIS WAS NOW THE SEC MORNING IN A ROW THAT CTR INFORMED US THAT APCH CTL WOULD NOT BE UP UNTIL '15 MINS FROM NOW.' WE DID NOT KNOW THAT APCH WAS ONLY OPERATING WHEN THE TWR OPENED. I BELIEVE WE HAD STARTED THE TURN TO JOIN THE LOC AND HAD JUST PASSED THE MARKER WHEN APCH CTL CAME ON FREQ AND RPTED AN RVR OF 0. WE WERE SURPRISED AND STATED THAT WE COULD SEE THE RWY FINE. IN FACT WE COULD SEE ALL THE RWY SIDE LIGHTS. WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND TWR GAVE US AN RVR OF 0 BUT SAID TWR VISIBILITY WAS 2 1/2 MI AND MAYBE THE RVR WAS 'SCREWY'. IN FACT WE EXPECTED SOME FOG ON THE RWY AND IN THE FLARE I COULD SEE IT WAS GOING TO BE SOMEWHAT DENSE AND SAID 'WHAT DO YOU THINK?' TO WHICH THE CAPT SAID 'PUT IT IN ON THE GND.' I LOST THE CTRLINE FOR JUST A MOMENT IN THE FLARE BUT RETAINED RWY SIDE LIGHTS (BARELY) AND MARKINGS ON CTRLINE AT T/D AND THROUGHOUT THE ROLL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REAL RVR WAS BUT CERTAINLY IT WAS NOT THE 2400 REQUIRED FOR THE APCH. IT WAS SO EASY TO DISREGARD THE RPTED RVR GIVEN WE COULD SEE ALL RWY LIGHTS. I THANK CTR FOR TRYING TO HELP US EXPEDITE BUT MAYBE IT WOULD BE BETTER IF THEY KEPT YOU WELL AWAY FROM THE FAF UNTIL APCH IS UP AND READY. WAS IT LEGAL FOR US TO CONTINUE THIS APCH? I BELIEVE WE WERE INSIDE THE MARKER AT THE TIME OF RECIEVING RVR READING AT LEAST THAT IS MY PERCEPTION. BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IF WE WERE FURTHER OUT DURING THAT DAY OF ALL NIGHT FLYING WE WOULD NOT HAVE SHOT THIS APCH HAVING TIME TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER.

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.