On approach to gcn the reported WX was below CAT I minimums, but flight crew continued approach to m...

Attributes
ACN	298117
Time
Date	199503
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gcn
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6753 msl bound upper : 10600
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla tower : gcn
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	298117
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On mar/xx/95 captain X and I were on an IFR flight plan getting radar vectors for the ILS DME 1 runway 3 at gcn. I was the PNF and handled the radios. I am a very low time IFR pilot and on this day my radio communications were erratic at best. During the approach we were handed off to the gcn tower given our clearance to the runway 03 approach. We shot the approach never got all the way to our minimums (plus 100 approximately), and went missed approach. We returned to las without any further problems. The next day captain X and I were both at the gcn airport and captain X was approached by a representative of the FAA. His question to captain was why we shot the approach with/below approach minimums. Both he and I were not aware that we had done that. My captain was told that prior to the other maker we were given WX at 200 ft and 3/8 mi visibility and still attempted the approach. I have no reason to doubt the FAA official and must conclude that I missed the call of 200 and 3/8 from the tower and just acknowledged the initial call from the tower. When we were given the cleared for the approach no mention was made from the controller that the field was below approach minimums for any of the approved approachs and I did not catch the tower's call. This has made me aware of the need for completing the thoughts when given information on the radio and complete attention given to those thoughts and information.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON APCH TO GCN THE RPTED WX WAS BELOW CAT I MINIMUMS, BUT FLC CONTINUED APCH TO MINIMUMS BEFORE EXECUTING A MISSED APCH. FAA QUESTIONED FLC.

Narrative: ON MAR/XX/95 CAPT X AND I WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN GETTING RADAR VECTORS FOR THE ILS DME 1 RWY 3 AT GCN. I WAS THE PNF AND HANDLED THE RADIOS. I AM A VERY LOW TIME IFR PLT AND ON THIS DAY MY RADIO COMS WERE ERRATIC AT BEST. DURING THE APCH WE WERE HANDED OFF TO THE GCN TWR GIVEN OUR CLRNC TO THE RWY 03 APCH. WE SHOT THE APCH NEVER GOT ALL THE WAY TO OUR MINIMUMS (PLUS 100 APPROX), AND WENT MISSED APCH. WE RETURNED TO LAS WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBS. THE NEXT DAY CAPT X AND I WERE BOTH AT THE GCN ARPT AND CAPT X WAS APCHED BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FAA. HIS QUESTION TO CAPT WAS WHY WE SHOT THE APCH WITH/BELOW APCH MINIMUMS. BOTH HE AND I WERE NOT AWARE THAT WE HAD DONE THAT. MY CAPT WAS TOLD THAT PRIOR TO THE OTHER MAKER WE WERE GIVEN WX AT 200 FT AND 3/8 MI VISIBILITY AND STILL ATTEMPTED THE APCH. I HAVE NO REASON TO DOUBT THE FAA OFFICIAL AND MUST CONCLUDE THAT I MISSED THE CALL OF 200 AND 3/8 FROM THE TWR AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGED THE INITIAL CALL FROM THE TWR. WHEN WE WERE GIVEN THE CLRED FOR THE APCH NO MENTION WAS MADE FROM THE CTLR THAT THE FIELD WAS BELOW APCH MINIMUMS FOR ANY OF THE APPROVED APCHS AND I DID NOT CATCH THE TWR'S CALL. THIS HAS MADE ME AWARE OF THE NEED FOR COMPLETING THE THOUGHTS WHEN GIVEN INFO ON THE RADIO AND COMPLETE ATTN GIVEN TO THOSE THOUGHTS AND INFO.

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.

On approach to gcn the reported WX was below CAT I minimums, but flight crew continued approach to minimums before executing a missed approach. FAA questioned flight crew.