Narrative:

Flight xx, jan/aa/95, anc-akn-snp-stg-dut. The WX at snp was 17 broken 3 mi. We shot an NDB approach, tops 3000 ft, bases 1500 ft ragged. Popped deice boots at FAF, we had picked up a trace of mixed ice. I was stressed out due to the fact that FAA was route checking us. We landed and taxied in. FAA gets out and is taking pictures of the remaining ice on leading edges. Before departure I removed the remaining ice from the wings with my flashlight. Normally we depart VFR from snp to stg, approximately 40 NM. The WX is marginal VFR snow showers, blowing snow and expected to be that way at stg. The stress of FAA, camera, and marginal VFR prompts me to pick up an IFR over to stg. Snp-stg approximately 15 mins. We depart IFR, we were very busy with checklists and briefing the approach, NDB to stg. AWOS WX calls 1700 ft broken, 3 mi. I may have missed it the first time, but the AWOS is still in the test mode. We get a clearance and shot the approach. After we are visual, the first officer brings up the AWOS again for the wind and I hear the AWOS test. I realized then that part 135 we had just shot an approach without current or certified WX. My mind was not with the current situation. I was worried about the FAA route check airman taking pictures in snp. I should have stuck with our original VFR plan, but I was worried about what FAA would say about 500 ft over the water at 240 KTS with 1-3 mi visibility. I felt it was prudent to go IFR, but overlooked the AWOS situation. I should have been less worried about the route check airman behind me and more in tune with the situation ahead of us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ILLEGAL APCH.

Narrative: FLT XX, JAN/AA/95, ANC-AKN-SNP-STG-DUT. THE WX AT SNP WAS 17 BROKEN 3 MI. WE SHOT AN NDB APCH, TOPS 3000 FT, BASES 1500 FT RAGGED. POPPED DEICE BOOTS AT FAF, WE HAD PICKED UP A TRACE OF MIXED ICE. I WAS STRESSED OUT DUE TO THE FACT THAT FAA WAS RTE CHKING US. WE LANDED AND TAXIED IN. FAA GETS OUT AND IS TAKING PICTURES OF THE REMAINING ICE ON LEADING EDGES. BEFORE DEP I REMOVED THE REMAINING ICE FROM THE WINGS WITH MY FLASHLIGHT. NORMALLY WE DEPART VFR FROM SNP TO STG, APPROX 40 NM. THE WX IS MARGINAL VFR SNOW SHOWERS, BLOWING SNOW AND EXPECTED TO BE THAT WAY AT STG. THE STRESS OF FAA, CAMERA, AND MARGINAL VFR PROMPTS ME TO PICK UP AN IFR OVER TO STG. SNP-STG APPROX 15 MINS. WE DEPART IFR, WE WERE VERY BUSY WITH CHKLISTS AND BRIEFING THE APCH, NDB TO STG. AWOS WX CALLS 1700 FT BROKEN, 3 MI. I MAY HAVE MISSED IT THE FIRST TIME, BUT THE AWOS IS STILL IN THE TEST MODE. WE GET A CLRNC AND SHOT THE APCH. AFTER WE ARE VISUAL, THE FO BRINGS UP THE AWOS AGAIN FOR THE WIND AND I HEAR THE AWOS TEST. I REALIZED THEN THAT PART 135 WE HAD JUST SHOT AN APCH WITHOUT CURRENT OR CERTIFIED WX. MY MIND WAS NOT WITH THE CURRENT SIT. I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE FAA RTE CHK AIRMAN TAKING PICTURES IN SNP. I SHOULD HAVE STUCK WITH OUR ORIGINAL VFR PLAN, BUT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT WHAT FAA WOULD SAY ABOUT 500 FT OVER THE WATER AT 240 KTS WITH 1-3 MI VISIBILITY. I FELT IT WAS PRUDENT TO GO IFR, BUT OVERLOOKED THE AWOS SIT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN LESS WORRIED ABOUT THE RTE CHK AIRMAN BEHIND ME AND MORE IN TUNE WITH THE SIT AHEAD OF US.

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.