Narrative:

On oct/xx/94, while flying flight from DME to shh I may have, unknowingly, shot an illegal approach to the shh airport. The AWOS 3 was notamed 'ceiling and visibility unreliable.' through pilot reports 1 was aware that despite the NOTAM the AWOS was in fact giving pretty accurate reports, as close as any of the other AWOS 3 stations around the state that are considered to be fully operational. The WX at the time of my arrival was approximately a 1200 ft ceiling and 10 mi or better visibility. The MEA for the victor airway leading to the NDB is 10000 ft for reception purposes, however if one requests a clearance direct to the NDB from zan they will also give you 5000 ft until on the approach which begins crossing the NDB. The approach therefore is required whenever the cloud bases are at or below 5000 ft. The AWOS was not 'OTS' and because pilot reports indicated that it was in fact accurate I didn't think twice about shooting the approach to get below the cloud layer. The approach went fine and we did break out at about 1600 ft while on the procedure turn, and then landed visually. While on the ground a FAA inspector, who was riding on a air carrier navaho and passing through shh, walked up to our be-1900 introduced himself and asked to see both mine as well as the first officer's certificates. He explained that he was in a hurry and that he didn't have time for a complete ramp check, he still needed to smoke a cigarette before reboarding the air carrier flight, and that he would just write down our certificate numbers and that would be it. He was very nice and didn't mention anything about the AWOS or our approach into the airport. I do not know at present whether or not what I did was illegal. I've talked to my company superiors and there are differences of opinion. I certainly did not think if was violating any far's at the time I shot the approach, but have done much thinking about it since and have decided that I won't shoot anymore approachs at shh with the AWOS notamed in the same manner, until I can be sure that it is not illegal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT MADE AN APCH TO AN ARPT WHEN THE LATEST RPTED WX WAS NOTAMED AS UNRELIABLE.

Narrative: ON OCT/XX/94, WHILE FLYING FLT FROM DME TO SHH I MAY HAVE, UNKNOWINGLY, SHOT AN ILLEGAL APCH TO THE SHH ARPT. THE AWOS 3 WAS NOTAMED 'CEILING AND VISIBILITY UNRELIABLE.' THROUGH PLT RPTS 1 WAS AWARE THAT DESPITE THE NOTAM THE AWOS WAS IN FACT GIVING PRETTY ACCURATE RPTS, AS CLOSE AS ANY OF THE OTHER AWOS 3 STATIONS AROUND THE STATE THAT ARE CONSIDERED TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL. THE WX AT THE TIME OF MY ARR WAS APPROX A 1200 FT CEILING AND 10 MI OR BETTER VISIBILITY. THE MEA FOR THE VICTOR AIRWAY LEADING TO THE NDB IS 10000 FT FOR RECEPTION PURPOSES, HOWEVER IF ONE REQUESTS A CLRNC DIRECT TO THE NDB FROM ZAN THEY WILL ALSO GIVE YOU 5000 FT UNTIL ON THE APCH WHICH BEGINS XING THE NDB. THE APCH THEREFORE IS REQUIRED WHENEVER THE CLOUD BASES ARE AT OR BELOW 5000 FT. THE AWOS WAS NOT 'OTS' AND BECAUSE PLT RPTS INDICATED THAT IT WAS IN FACT ACCURATE I DIDN'T THINK TWICE ABOUT SHOOTING THE APCH TO GET BELOW THE CLOUD LAYER. THE APCH WENT FINE AND WE DID BREAK OUT AT ABOUT 1600 FT WHILE ON THE PROC TURN, AND THEN LANDED VISUALLY. WHILE ON THE GND A FAA INSPECTOR, WHO WAS RIDING ON A ACR NAVAHO AND PASSING THROUGH SHH, WALKED UP TO OUR BE-1900 INTRODUCED HIMSELF AND ASKED TO SEE BOTH MINE AS WELL AS THE FO'S CERTIFICATES. HE EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS IN A HURRY AND THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR A COMPLETE RAMP CHK, HE STILL NEEDED TO SMOKE A CIGARETTE BEFORE REBOARDING THE ACR FLT, AND THAT HE WOULD JUST WRITE DOWN OUR CERTIFICATE NUMBERS AND THAT WOULD BE IT. HE WAS VERY NICE AND DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT THE AWOS OR OUR APCH INTO THE ARPT. I DO NOT KNOW AT PRESENT WHETHER OR NOT WHAT I DID WAS ILLEGAL. I'VE TALKED TO MY COMPANY SUPERIORS AND THERE ARE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. I CERTAINLY DID NOT THINK IF WAS VIOLATING ANY FAR'S AT THE TIME I SHOT THE APCH, BUT HAVE DONE MUCH THINKING ABOUT IT SINCE AND HAVE DECIDED THAT I WON'T SHOOT ANYMORE APCHS AT SHH WITH THE AWOS NOTAMED IN THE SAME MANNER, UNTIL I CAN BE SURE THAT IT IS NOT ILLEGAL.

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.