Narrative:

This flight originated at fort lauderdale executive airport as a life guard flight (stroke patient) being transported to sherbrooke, canada. Prior to the flight we tried to obtain WX at sherbrooke, but they were not reporting, instead we received WX report from montreal, they were reporting 800 ovc and 4 mi with snow showers. En route to sherbrooke we were able to get current WX from islip radio (approximately 30 mins from destination) they reported 12 sct 80 ovc 6 mi visibility. With this good news we continued ahead with confidence of good WX at our destination. When montreal approach handed us off to sherbrooke FSS advisory they indicted WX was 800 ovc and 1 1/2 mi visibility. Realizing that category 'C' requires 2 mi visibility I continued the approach. About 200 ft above MDA we made ground contact and EST 2 + statue military flight visibility we circled and landed on runway 14. The primary reason for this report is to indicate that when operating under life guard flts (stroke patient) sub zero WX conditions, and pre arranged condition (I.east ambulance is meeting aircraft at a specific place and time.) I feel it was necessary for me as the captain to continue to meet the objective that was set. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states WX conditions and patient needs were determining factors in his decision to continue and try the approach. Temperatures were so low that survival at an alternate airport would have been difficult. Patient needed medical support systems available in aircraft. Could only keep engines running for limited time on ground for warmth, while ambulance was repositioning. Patient could not be moved inside without proper equipment. Thus reporter made the choice he did. Never felt there was any safety factors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS FLT MAKES BELOW MINS APCH. BREAKS OUT ABOVE MDA WITH ESTIMATED VIS AT MINS.

Narrative: THIS FLT ORIGINATED AT FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE ARPT AS A LIFE GUARD FLT (STROKE PATIENT) BEING TRANSPORTED TO SHERBROOKE, CANADA. PRIOR TO THE FLT WE TRIED TO OBTAIN WX AT SHERBROOKE, BUT THEY WERE NOT RPTING, INSTEAD WE RECEIVED WX RPT FROM MONTREAL, THEY WERE RPTING 800 OVC AND 4 MI WITH SNOW SHOWERS. ENRTE TO SHERBROOKE WE WERE ABLE TO GET CURRENT WX FROM ISLIP RADIO (APPROX 30 MINS FROM DEST) THEY RPTED 12 SCT 80 OVC 6 MI VISIBILITY. WITH THIS GOOD NEWS WE CONTINUED AHEAD WITH CONFIDENCE OF GOOD WX AT OUR DEST. WHEN MONTREAL APCH HANDED US OFF TO SHERBROOKE FSS ADVISORY THEY INDICTED WX WAS 800 OVC AND 1 1/2 MI VISIBILITY. REALIZING THAT CATEGORY 'C' REQUIRES 2 MI VISIBILITY I CONTINUED THE APCH. ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE MDA WE MADE GND CONTACT AND EST 2 + STATUE MIL FLT VISIBILITY WE CIRCLED AND LANDED ON RWY 14. THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THIS RPT IS TO INDICATE THAT WHEN OPERATING UNDER LIFE GUARD FLTS (STROKE PATIENT) SUB ZERO WX CONDITIONS, AND PRE ARRANGED CONDITION (I.E AMBULANCE IS MEETING ACFT AT A SPECIFIC PLACE AND TIME.) I FEEL IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME AS THE CAPT TO CONTINUE TO MEET THE OBJECTIVE THAT WAS SET. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES WX CONDITIONS AND PATIENT NEEDS WERE DETERMINING FACTORS IN HIS DECISION TO CONTINUE AND TRY THE APCH. TEMPS WERE SO LOW THAT SURVIVAL AT AN ALTERNATE ARPT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT. PATIENT NEEDED MEDICAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS AVAILABLE IN ACFT. COULD ONLY KEEP ENGS RUNNING FOR LIMITED TIME ON GND FOR WARMTH, WHILE AMBULANCE WAS REPOSITIONING. PATIENT COULD NOT BE MOVED INSIDE WITHOUT PROPER EQUIP. THUS RPTR MADE THE CHOICE HE DID. NEVER FELT THERE WAS ANY SAFETY FACTORS.

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.