Narrative:

I am a restr captain for the first 100 hours in the left seat. My minimums are increased by 100 ft and 1/2 mi visibility. For this approach my minimums are 300 ft and 4500 RVR. The WX at the time I was over the OM was '-X 3/8F 211/30/30/0805/013/rvr19vr60 plus F4 tower visibility 3.' the fog laid right up to the end of the runway. As I entered the fog at approximately 600 AGL you could see all of runway for 19 except for the numbers of runway 19 and the rest of the airport. I executed a missed approach and when I broke out on top again, the tower instructions were to maintain runway heading and climb to 3000 ft. As I was climbing out, I asked the tower what the visibility was because I could see the full length of runway 9-27 and beyond. The tower said the tower visibility was 3 mi. I requested clearance for circling approach to runway 9, company requires 3 mi visibility to circle. I circled to the southwest keeping the airport in sight at all times, and landed on runway 9 visually. I pulled up the WX sequences for the last 12 hours after I got on the ground. The WX was as I stated above. I now questioned whether, in this situation, the 3/8F in the sequence applied or the tower visibility of 3 mi and having the runway and the airport in sight at 3000 ft MSL during the circle to land. I will research this with our ATC person to find out. My understanding is that the 3/8F would apply to runway 19 since the RVR for that runway was also given for that runway. I will also try to find out where and how the 3/8 was determined. If you have any input, please let me know. The other question I have is, when the RVR is given as 6000 plus, does this mean that the RVR meter cannot read past 6000 ft, and the 3/8 in the sequence spc visibility is given in conjunction with the RVR for that runway? As a footnote: while on approximately 3 mi final and landing I had the full length of runway 9 in view at all times, this is why I question the 3/8F. The tower had me in sight during the complete circling and landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CAPT ON HIGH MINIMUMS FEARS HE MAY HAVE FLOWN APCH WITH WX BELOW HIS MINIMUMS.

Narrative: I AM A RESTR CAPT FOR THE FIRST 100 HRS IN THE L SEAT. MY MINIMUMS ARE INCREASED BY 100 FT AND 1/2 MI VISIBILITY. FOR THIS APCH MY MINIMUMS ARE 300 FT AND 4500 RVR. THE WX AT THE TIME I WAS OVER THE OM WAS '-X 3/8F 211/30/30/0805/013/RVR19VR60 PLUS F4 TWR VISIBILITY 3.' THE FOG LAID RIGHT UP TO THE END OF THE RWY. AS I ENTERED THE FOG AT APPROX 600 AGL YOU COULD SEE ALL OF RWY FOR 19 EXCEPT FOR THE NUMBERS OF RWY 19 AND THE REST OF THE ARPT. I EXECUTED A MISSED APCH AND WHEN I BROKE OUT ON TOP AGAIN, THE TWR INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG AND CLB TO 3000 FT. AS I WAS CLBING OUT, I ASKED THE TWR WHAT THE VISIBILITY WAS BECAUSE I COULD SEE THE FULL LENGTH OF RWY 9-27 AND BEYOND. THE TWR SAID THE TWR VISIBILITY WAS 3 MI. I REQUESTED CLRNC FOR CIRCLING APCH TO RWY 9, COMPANY REQUIRES 3 MI VISIBILITY TO CIRCLE. I CIRCLED TO THE SW KEEPING THE ARPT IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES, AND LANDED ON RWY 9 VISUALLY. I PULLED UP THE WX SEQUENCES FOR THE LAST 12 HRS AFTER I GOT ON THE GND. THE WX WAS AS I STATED ABOVE. I NOW QUESTIONED WHETHER, IN THIS SIT, THE 3/8F IN THE SEQUENCE APPLIED OR THE TWR VISIBILITY OF 3 MI AND HAVING THE RWY AND THE ARPT IN SIGHT AT 3000 FT MSL DURING THE CIRCLE TO LAND. I WILL RESEARCH THIS WITH OUR ATC PERSON TO FIND OUT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE 3/8F WOULD APPLY TO RWY 19 SINCE THE RVR FOR THAT RWY WAS ALSO GIVEN FOR THAT RWY. I WILL ALSO TRY TO FIND OUT WHERE AND HOW THE 3/8 WAS DETERMINED. IF YOU HAVE ANY INPUT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, WHEN THE RVR IS GIVEN AS 6000 PLUS, DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE RVR METER CANNOT READ PAST 6000 FT, AND THE 3/8 IN THE SEQUENCE SPC VISIBILITY IS GIVEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RVR FOR THAT RWY? AS A FOOTNOTE: WHILE ON APPROX 3 MI FINAL AND LNDG I HAD THE FULL LENGTH OF RWY 9 IN VIEW AT ALL TIMES, THIS IS WHY I QUESTION THE 3/8F. THE TWR HAD ME IN SIGHT DURING THE COMPLETE CIRCLING AND LNDG.

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.