Air carrier X made below min landing. Pilot deviation.

Attributes
ACN	215137
Time
Date	199207
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eze
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : contact
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 276
ASRS Report	215137
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X on approach into buenos aires (ezesa) airport the ILS GS went off the air. I asked tower its status and they confirmed they had turned it off. The WX visibility had been 1300 meters (1500 required for a non precision approach). I told the tower we needed 1500 RVR to runway 11 and he asked, well can you see it now -- which we could at 5 mi. I asked if we were now cleared a visual approach which they did, however, I still think the RVR was below visibility mins. We did see the runway on the way down and made a visual landing. The fog that was in the area was patchy and it appeared that a bit of fog was around the area. The transmissometer would be located. Visibility was good everywhere else. I don't know if we made a below mins approach or not, as I could not get the visibility from the tower and I wasn't sure I wanted to know. There was no problem with this approach as far as visibility. We saw the runway all the way in from 5 mi. It's just that it seems those folks will clear you for anything and technically, we may have made an approach below mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X MADE BELOW MIN LNDG. PLTDEV.

Narrative: ACR X ON APCH INTO BUENOS AIRES (EZESA) ARPT THE ILS GS WENT OFF THE AIR. I ASKED TWR ITS STATUS AND THEY CONFIRMED THEY HAD TURNED IT OFF. THE WX VISIBILITY HAD BEEN 1300 METERS (1500 REQUIRED FOR A NON PRECISION APCH). I TOLD THE TWR WE NEEDED 1500 RVR TO RWY 11 AND HE ASKED, WELL CAN YOU SEE IT NOW -- WHICH WE COULD AT 5 MI. I ASKED IF WE WERE NOW CLRED A VISUAL APCH WHICH THEY DID, HOWEVER, I STILL THINK THE RVR WAS BELOW VISIBILITY MINS. WE DID SEE THE RWY ON THE WAY DOWN AND MADE A VISUAL LNDG. THE FOG THAT WAS IN THE AREA WAS PATCHY AND IT APPEARED THAT A BIT OF FOG WAS AROUND THE AREA. THE TRANSMISSOMETER WOULD BE LOCATED. VISIBILITY WAS GOOD EVERYWHERE ELSE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE MADE A BELOW MINS APCH OR NOT, AS I COULD NOT GET THE VISIBILITY FROM THE TWR AND I WASN'T SURE I WANTED TO KNOW. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THIS APCH AS FAR AS VISIBILITY. WE SAW THE RWY ALL THE WAY IN FROM 5 MI. IT'S JUST THAT IT SEEMS THOSE FOLKS WILL CLR YOU FOR ANYTHING AND TECHNICALLY, WE MAY HAVE MADE AN APCH BELOW MINS.

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.