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Flight crew of an medium large transport continued an lda DME approach even though the latest WX report showed below minimum visibility for the approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 294533 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199501 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : stl |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : stl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 11000 |
| ASRS Report | 294533 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Cleared for the runway 30L lda approach at stl. L-1011 on our right (parallel) using runway 30 right ILS-localizer. WX was better than 1500 ft/5 mi. L-1011 in sight at all times. Between 'burne' and 'cards,' WX was reported (as 'tower' visibility) to have dropped to 2 1/2 mi. Continued the approach to 'joess,' and at MDA of 1200 ft, had runway environment in sight, and landed runway 30L. Deteriorating WX conditions at the airport were reported as 'tower' visibility, not 'prevailing' visibility. Since VFR WX conditions existed on the approach course, the parallel traffic was in sight, and the latest reported WX was ambiguous. It was, in my opinion, more safe to continue the approach rather than to execute a missed approach with the possibility of the parallel traffic also executing a missed approach.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN MLG CONTINUED AN LDA DME APCH EVEN THOUGH THE LATEST WX RPT SHOWED BELOW MINIMUM VISIBILITY FOR THE APCH.
Narrative: CLRED FOR THE RWY 30L LDA APCH AT STL. L-1011 ON OUR R (PARALLEL) USING RWY 30 R ILS-LOC. WX WAS BETTER THAN 1500 FT/5 MI. L-1011 IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES. BTWN 'BURNE' AND 'CARDS,' WX WAS RPTED (AS 'TWR' VISIBILITY) TO HAVE DROPPED TO 2 1/2 MI. CONTINUED THE APCH TO 'JOESS,' AND AT MDA OF 1200 FT, HAD RWY ENVIRONMENT IN SIGHT, AND LANDED RWY 30L. DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS AT THE ARPT WERE RPTED AS 'TWR' VISIBILITY, NOT 'PREVAILING' VISIBILITY. SINCE VFR WX CONDITIONS EXISTED ON THE APCH COURSE, THE PARALLEL TFC WAS IN SIGHT, AND THE LATEST RPTED WX WAS AMBIGUOUS. IT WAS, IN MY OPINION, MORE SAFE TO CONTINUE THE APCH RATHER THAN TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THE PARALLEL TFC ALSO EXECUTING A MISSED APCH.
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.