Advertised circle to land to non approach runway is below circling minimums.

Attributes
ACN	280841
Time
Date	199408
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : frg
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : frg
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	280841
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

ATIS (nearly an hour old) reported ceiling at 400 ft, approach in use ILS runway 14, circle to land runway 19. As 400 ft AGL is below the MDA, I requested a straight-in landing on runway 14 and was cleared to land runway 14. After landing, I reported to ground control that the ceiling was reported as 400 ft, and that's what I found it to be on approach. I pointed out that this is below circling minimums and I thought they should be advertising ILS approach to land runway 14. 20 mins later, as I was departing, the new ATIS tape still reported a 400 ft ceiling and still reported the ILS approach with circle to land runway 19 in use. They had disregarded my suggestion. While it is true that the PIC is ultimately responsible for not descending below MDA, and for requesting another alternative if needed, it is also possible for a pilot to be led down a golden path which could get him into trouble -- particularly a general aviation pilot, as is predominant at this airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ADVERTISED CIRCLE TO LAND TO NON APCH RWY IS BELOW CIRCLING MINIMUMS.

Narrative: ATIS (NEARLY AN HR OLD) RPTED CEILING AT 400 FT, APCH IN USE ILS RWY 14, CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 19. AS 400 FT AGL IS BELOW THE MDA, I REQUESTED A STRAIGHT-IN LNDG ON RWY 14 AND WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 14. AFTER LNDG, I RPTED TO GND CTL THAT THE CEILING WAS RPTED AS 400 FT, AND THAT'S WHAT I FOUND IT TO BE ON APCH. I POINTED OUT THAT THIS IS BELOW CIRCLING MINIMUMS AND I THOUGHT THEY SHOULD BE ADVERTISING ILS APCH TO LAND RWY 14. 20 MINS LATER, AS I WAS DEPARTING, THE NEW ATIS TAPE STILL RPTED A 400 FT CEILING AND STILL RPTED THE ILS APCH WITH CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 19 IN USE. THEY HAD DISREGARDED MY SUGGESTION. WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT THE PIC IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT DSNDING BELOW MDA, AND FOR REQUESTING ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE IF NEEDED, IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE FOR A PLT TO BE LED DOWN A GOLDEN PATH WHICH COULD GET HIM INTO TROUBLE -- PARTICULARLY A GENERAL AVIATION PLT, AS IS PREDOMINANT AT THIS 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.