Narrative:

VFR from ft. Collins, co, to denver stapleton. Captain was PF. Captain chose to fly VFR into denver TCA. WX reported 4800 ft scattered, 7 mi visibility. Received clearance from approach control into TCA to follow I-25 at 7500 ft. We were to expect clearance to land on runway 8R. As flight progressed, in-flight visibility starting to degrade. Just when landing clearance was received for runway 8R, crew loses contact temporarily with airport due to unforecast snow shower. Copilot selected runway 8 localizer to assist captain. Captain told to switch to tower. Tower asks crew if they have airport in sight. Crew responds 'affirmative.' captain elects to execute left 360 degree turn to lose altitude to get below area of reduced in-flight visibility. Tower responds to crew saying it appears we are lined up for a left base for runway 35L tells crew to turn left to heading 210 degrees now! And asks if crew still has airport in sight. Crew responds affirmative. As crew descends, visibility greatly improves and captain lands as cleared on runway 8R. Tower says nothing. This situation could have been averted by simply flying the IFR flight plan as opposed to flying VFR in marginal WX. Even though the WX was forecast to be above VFR minimums at denver stapleton, the in-flight visibility was marginal at best. The captain could have requested an IFR clearance to the airport when he saw the visibility getting worse, and the first officer (me) could have been more aggressive by insisting we fly IFR before even departing ft. Collins. I feel any time an aircraft operates in or around a high density airport such as denver stapleton, it would be prudent to fly IFR into that airport regardless of existing WX conditions VMC or IMC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT COMMUTER ON VFR FLT PLAN ENTERS SNOW SHOWER BUT TELLS TWR ARPT STILL IN SIGHT. COMMENCES 360 DEG TURN ON FINAL TO LOSE ALT.

Narrative: VFR FROM FT. COLLINS, CO, TO DENVER STAPLETON. CAPT WAS PF. CAPT CHOSE TO FLY VFR INTO DENVER TCA. WX RPTED 4800 FT SCATTERED, 7 MI VISIBILITY. RECEIVED CLRNC FROM APCH CTL INTO TCA TO FOLLOW I-25 AT 7500 FT. WE WERE TO EXPECT CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 8R. AS FLT PROGRESSED, INFLT VISIBILITY STARTING TO DEGRADE. JUST WHEN LNDG CLRNC WAS RECEIVED FOR RWY 8R, CREW LOSES CONTACT TEMPORARILY WITH ARPT DUE TO UNFORECAST SNOW SHOWER. COPLT SELECTED RWY 8 LOC TO ASSIST CAPT. CAPT TOLD TO SWITCH TO TWR. TWR ASKS CREW IF THEY HAVE ARPT IN SIGHT. CREW RESPONDS 'AFFIRMATIVE.' CAPT ELECTS TO EXECUTE L 360 DEG TURN TO LOSE ALT TO GET BELOW AREA OF REDUCED INFLT VISIBILITY. TWR RESPONDS TO CREW SAYING IT APPEARS WE ARE LINED UP FOR A L BASE FOR RWY 35L TELLS CREW TO TURN L TO HDG 210 DEGS NOW! AND ASKS IF CREW STILL HAS ARPT IN SIGHT. CREW RESPONDS AFFIRMATIVE. AS CREW DSNDS, VISIBILITY GREATLY IMPROVES AND CAPT LANDS AS CLRED ON RWY 8R. TWR SAYS NOTHING. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVERTED BY SIMPLY FLYING THE IFR FLT PLAN AS OPPOSED TO FLYING VFR IN MARGINAL WX. EVEN THOUGH THE WX WAS FORECAST TO BE ABOVE VFR MINIMUMS AT DENVER STAPLETON, THE INFLT VISIBILITY WAS MARGINAL AT BEST. THE CAPT COULD HAVE REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC TO THE ARPT WHEN HE SAW THE VISIBILITY GETTING WORSE, AND THE FO (ME) COULD HAVE BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE BY INSISTING WE FLY IFR BEFORE EVEN DEPARTING FT. COLLINS. I FEEL ANY TIME AN ACFT OPERATES IN OR AROUND A HIGH DENSITY ARPT SUCH AS DENVER STAPLETON, IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO FLY IFR INTO THAT ARPT REGARDLESS OF EXISTING WX CONDITIONS VMC OR IMC.

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.