Charter pilot flies IFR approach not authorized at night.

Attributes
ACN	203554
Time
Date	199203
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : guc
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	203554
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was a charter flight to gunnison from denver. The WX at guc was reported by AWOS to be clear below 12000 10 mi visibility and wind from the southwest at 10-15 KTS. In order for any of our pilots to fly into guc at night they must sign a waiver required by the guc airport. Normally the gunnison airport does not allow night lndgs except for select operators who have complied with the airport's requirements. The approach plate for guc specifies that the IFR approachs are not authorized at night. I believed however, that being approved to fly to the airport at night also allowed us to fly the instrument approach so long as we had the latest WX and it was approved WX. In addition 2 other operators were also flying the IFR approach at approximately the same time I was. This restriction is confusing as to who it applies. Also the restriction should be placed on both the ILS 6 chart and VOR a chart in the same respective position in bold type. As it is now printed the restriction is easy to miss on the VOR a approach plate because of the small print and because it's in a different location as compared to the ILS 6 approach plate. Finally, although I was cleared for the approach it was conducted primarily VFR and I in fact cancelled my IFR clearance before I reached the final approach fix because we had the runway in sight and were talking to the unicom at the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHARTER PLT FLIES IFR APCH NOT AUTHORIZED AT NIGHT.

Narrative: THIS WAS A CHARTER FLT TO GUNNISON FROM DENVER. THE WX AT GUC WAS RPTED BY AWOS TO BE CLR BELOW 12000 10 MI VISIBILITY AND WIND FROM THE SW AT 10-15 KTS. IN ORDER FOR ANY OF OUR PLTS TO FLY INTO GUC AT NIGHT THEY MUST SIGN A WAIVER REQUIRED BY THE GUC ARPT. NORMALLY THE GUNNISON ARPT DOES NOT ALLOW NIGHT LNDGS EXCEPT FOR SELECT OPERATORS WHO HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE ARPT'S REQUIREMENTS. THE APCH PLATE FOR GUC SPECIFIES THAT THE IFR APCHS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED AT NIGHT. I BELIEVED HOWEVER, THAT BEING APPROVED TO FLY TO THE ARPT AT NIGHT ALSO ALLOWED US TO FLY THE INST APCH SO LONG AS WE HAD THE LATEST WX AND IT WAS APPROVED WX. IN ADDITION 2 OTHER OPERATORS WERE ALSO FLYING THE IFR APCH AT APPROX THE SAME TIME I WAS. THIS RESTRICTION IS CONFUSING AS TO WHO IT APPLIES. ALSO THE RESTRICTION SHOULD BE PLACED ON BOTH THE ILS 6 CHART AND VOR A CHART IN THE SAME RESPECTIVE POS IN BOLD TYPE. AS IT IS NOW PRINTED THE RESTRICTION IS EASY TO MISS ON THE VOR A APCH PLATE BECAUSE OF THE SMALL PRINT AND BECAUSE IT'S IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION AS COMPARED TO THE ILS 6 APCH PLATE. FINALLY, ALTHOUGH I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH IT WAS CONDUCTED PRIMARILY VFR AND I IN FACT CANCELLED MY IFR CLRNC BEFORE I REACHED THE FINAL APCH FIX BECAUSE WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT AND WERE TALKING TO THE UNICOM AT THE ARPT.

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.