Narrative:

Small transport X was handed off to gca. We were asked to reduce our speed 10 KIAS, which we did. WX on the ATIS was 1000 vcst, visibility 4 mi in fog. We broke out at 700 ft and about 2 mi DME. At this point I saw and called the runway in sight. I then noticed an aircraft in front and below us about midway down the approach light system on very short final to our runway. I advised the PF of the aircraft and told him to go around as we were only separated by about 1/4 mi behind and about 300 ft above this aircraft. After 3-4 calls, the tower answered. I advised the controller of the situation and our position, which was by this time downwind. Tower responded that the field had just gone IFR and requested our intentions. I advised that we were on downwind with the runway in sight and would like to land. Tower then issued a special VFR clearance and cleared us to land on runway 29. Captain spoke with the tower supervisor who stated that what had happened was that the MTR had broken out lower than expected and had gone around. He stated that both this aircraft and ours were being observed by radar in the tower and that the tower's only mistake was that they failed to advise us of the traffic. He stated they had advised the MTR of our aircraft being at their 6 O'clock position. He had declared the field IFR after the MTR had gone around. The PIC accepted this explanation and also advised the tower supervisor he felt the field was IFR during both aircraft's approachs even though it was reported VFR. The call was then terminated. I discussed with the PIC the fact that regardless of the WX conditions, proper separation between the 2 aircraft had not been maintained. He stated he was happy with the tower's explanation and did not intend to pursue it any further.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT X HAD LTSS WITH MTR ON GCA APCH. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: SMT X WAS HANDED OFF TO GCA. WE WERE ASKED TO REDUCE OUR SPD 10 KIAS, WHICH WE DID. WX ON THE ATIS WAS 1000 VCST, VISIBILITY 4 MI IN FOG. WE BROKE OUT AT 700 FT AND ABOUT 2 MI DME. AT THIS POINT I SAW AND CALLED THE RWY IN SIGHT. I THEN NOTICED AN ACFT IN FRONT AND BELOW US ABOUT MIDWAY DOWN THE APCH LIGHT SYS ON VERY SHORT FINAL TO OUR RWY. I ADVISED THE PF OF THE ACFT AND TOLD HIM TO GAR AS WE WERE ONLY SEPARATED BY ABOUT 1/4 MI BEHIND AND ABOUT 300 FT ABOVE THIS ACFT. AFTER 3-4 CALLS, THE TWR ANSWERED. I ADVISED THE CTLR OF THE SIT AND OUR POS, WHICH WAS BY THIS TIME DOWNWIND. TWR RESPONDED THAT THE FIELD HAD JUST GONE IFR AND REQUESTED OUR INTENTIONS. I ADVISED THAT WE WERE ON DOWNWIND WITH THE RWY IN SIGHT AND WOULD LIKE TO LAND. TWR THEN ISSUED A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC AND CLRED US TO LAND ON RWY 29. CAPT SPOKE WITH THE TWR SUPVR WHO STATED THAT WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS THAT THE MTR HAD BROKEN OUT LOWER THAN EXPECTED AND HAD GONE AROUND. HE STATED THAT BOTH THIS ACFT AND OURS WERE BEING OBSERVED BY RADAR IN THE TWR AND THAT THE TWR'S ONLY MISTAKE WAS THAT THEY FAILED TO ADVISE US OF THE TFC. HE STATED THEY HAD ADVISED THE MTR OF OUR ACFT BEING AT THEIR 6 O'CLOCK POS. HE HAD DECLARED THE FIELD IFR AFTER THE MTR HAD GONE AROUND. THE PIC ACCEPTED THIS EXPLANATION AND ALSO ADVISED THE TWR SUPVR HE FELT THE FIELD WAS IFR DURING BOTH ACFT'S APCHS EVEN THOUGH IT WAS RPTED VFR. THE CALL WAS THEN TERMINATED. I DISCUSSED WITH THE PIC THE FACT THAT REGARDLESS OF THE WX CONDITIONS, PROPER SEPARATION BTWN THE 2 ACFT HAD NOT BEEN MAINTAINED. HE STATED HE WAS HAPPY WITH THE TWR'S EXPLANATION AND DID NOT INTEND TO PURSUE IT ANY FURTHER.

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.