Narrative:

While flying into anchorage international, the WX went below our mins of 1800 RVR. Anchorage center gave us a holding clearance to hold on our present course southwest of 30 DME, right turns at 5000 ft from the anchorage VOR. Center approved our request for 3000 ft and 5 mi legs. After holding for 1 hour, the RVR to runway 6R was reported above our mins of 1800 RVR. Anchorage center then cleared us direct to the anchorage VOR at 3000 ft and to contact anchorage approach on 126.4. After contacting anchorage approach, we were told that the RVR dropped below 1800 RVR. Approach then gave us a vector to intercept and track the ILS localizer to runway 6R hoping that the RVR would come up within a couple of mins, approach reported the RVR to 6R was at 1800 RVR. We were then cleared to maintain our present heading to join the 6R localizer and to maintain 1600 ft until established on a published portion of the approach, 'cleared ILS runway 6R approach, contact anchorage tower on 118.3'. At this time we were approximately 2-3 mi outside of the final approach fix. My copilot contacted anchorage tower at this time in which we were cleared to land on runway 6R. While approaching the final approach fix, we completed our final checklist and I gave another briefing to my copilot of the missed approach procedure. At the same time, another aircraft about to depart runway 6R asked for the current RVR. Tower replied 1400 RVR on touchdown, and 800 RVR on midfield and rollout. At the time we heard of the 1400 RVR on touchdown to 6R, we were just approaching the final approach fix. The GS indicator on my HSI was coming alive and the aural tone of the OM was noticeable to the ear. I could see the approach lights and the touchdown zone lighting as well as the VASI and the touchdown zone markers to runway 6R. Because of the preceding visual aids, I elected to continue the approach. We did not contact the tower that we were at the final approach fix, because we were in radar contact. However, we did verify with anchorage tower that we were cleared to land and tower responded 'clear to land on runway 6R' and they never gave us an update on the 6R RVR. We landed without incident and taxied to our assigned gate. After further research on my own, I found that I might not have been in the confines of the final approach fix. I think that if I had a better understanding of the final approach fix and how it is defined, I would have executed an immediate missed approach. I am convinced that if a pilot is to stay on top of his/her profession, a review of definitions and regulations is a must in everyday aviation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TURBO COMMUTER LANDS AT BELOW MIN RVR. RPTED TO DEP ACFT BUT NOT TO ARR ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING INTO ANCHORAGE INTL, THE WX WENT BELOW OUR MINS OF 1800 RVR. ANCHORAGE CENTER GAVE US A HOLDING CLRNC TO HOLD ON OUR PRESENT COURSE SW OF 30 DME, R TURNS AT 5000 FT FROM THE ANCHORAGE VOR. CENTER APPROVED OUR REQUEST FOR 3000 FT AND 5 MI LEGS. AFTER HOLDING FOR 1 HR, THE RVR TO RWY 6R WAS RPTED ABOVE OUR MINS OF 1800 RVR. ANCHORAGE CENTER THEN CLRED US DIRECT TO THE ANCHORAGE VOR AT 3000 FT AND TO CONTACT ANCHORAGE APCH ON 126.4. AFTER CONTACTING ANCHORAGE APCH, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE RVR DROPPED BELOW 1800 RVR. APCH THEN GAVE US A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT AND TRACK THE ILS LOC TO RWY 6R HOPING THAT THE RVR WOULD COME UP WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINS, APCH RPTED THE RVR TO 6R WAS AT 1800 RVR. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO MAINTAIN OUR PRESENT HDG TO JOIN THE 6R LOC AND TO MAINTAIN 1600 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON A PUBLISHED PORTION OF THE APCH, 'CLRED ILS RWY 6R APCH, CONTACT ANCHORAGE TWR ON 118.3'. AT THIS TIME WE WERE APPROX 2-3 MI OUTSIDE OF THE FINAL APCH FIX. MY COPLT CONTACTED ANCHORAGE TWR AT THIS TIME IN WHICH WE WERE CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 6R. WHILE APCHING THE FINAL APCH FIX, WE COMPLETED OUR FINAL CHKLIST AND I GAVE ANOTHER BRIEFING TO MY COPLT OF THE MISSED APCH PROC. AT THE SAME TIME, ANOTHER ACFT ABOUT TO DEPART RWY 6R ASKED FOR THE CURRENT RVR. TWR REPLIED 1400 RVR ON TOUCHDOWN, AND 800 RVR ON MIDFIELD AND ROLLOUT. AT THE TIME WE HEARD OF THE 1400 RVR ON TOUCHDOWN TO 6R, WE WERE JUST APCHING THE FINAL APCH FIX. THE GS INDICATOR ON MY HSI WAS COMING ALIVE AND THE AURAL TONE OF THE OM WAS NOTICEABLE TO THE EAR. I COULD SEE THE APCH LIGHTS AND THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE LIGHTING AS WELL AS THE VASI AND THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE MARKERS TO RWY 6R. BECAUSE OF THE PRECEDING VISUAL AIDS, I ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE APCH. WE DID NOT CONTACT THE TWR THAT WE WERE AT THE FINAL APCH FIX, BECAUSE WE WERE IN RADAR CONTACT. HOWEVER, WE DID VERIFY WITH ANCHORAGE TWR THAT WE WERE CLRED TO LAND AND TWR RESPONDED 'CLR TO LAND ON RWY 6R' AND THEY NEVER GAVE US AN UPDATE ON THE 6R RVR. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND TAXIED TO OUR ASSIGNED GATE. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH ON MY OWN, I FOUND THAT I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE CONFINES OF THE FINAL APCH FIX. I THINK THAT IF I HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FINAL APCH FIX AND HOW IT IS DEFINED, I WOULD HAVE EXECUTED AN IMMEDIATE MISSED APCH. I AM CONVINCED THAT IF A PLT IS TO STAY ON TOP OF HIS/HER PROFESSION, A REVIEW OF DEFINITIONS AND REGS IS A MUST IN EVERYDAY AVIATION.

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.