Flight crew accepted an lda approach against their company regulations.

Attributes
ACN	300865
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 3000 agl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1980 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	300865
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were set up for approach ILS runway 12L into lambert. On 'base' while being radar vectored, the controller switched us over to the lda approach last min and gave us the lda frequency. I suggested to the captain that we not accept it and keep the ILS clearance. After short discussion, the captain elected to accept the lda approach. All went well and landing went normally. I later checked the company operations manual and learned that lda approachs are not approved for our carrier. This was my belief in the cockpit, but I was not absolutely position at the time. I believe that given the short amount of time the captain had to make the decision along with his inexperience as a captain (less than 100 hours) contributed to the decision. I could have been more forceful about the issue to stay legal, but my choice in suggestion was safer given that it was rush hour and the short time we had to reset up for a new approach. I have restudied and positively memorized what approachs my company is approved for.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC ACCEPTED AN LDA APCH AGAINST THEIR COMPANY REGS.

Narrative: WE WERE SET UP FOR APCH ILS RWY 12L INTO LAMBERT. ON 'BASE' WHILE BEING RADAR VECTORED, THE CTLR SWITCHED US OVER TO THE LDA APCH LAST MIN AND GAVE US THE LDA FREQ. I SUGGESTED TO THE CAPT THAT WE NOT ACCEPT IT AND KEEP THE ILS CLRNC. AFTER SHORT DISCUSSION, THE CAPT ELECTED TO ACCEPT THE LDA APCH. ALL WENT WELL AND LNDG WENT NORMALLY. I LATER CHKED THE COMPANY OPS MANUAL AND LEARNED THAT LDA APCHS ARE NOT APPROVED FOR OUR CARRIER. THIS WAS MY BELIEF IN THE COCKPIT, BUT I WAS NOT ABSOLUTELY POS AT THE TIME. I BELIEVE THAT GIVEN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THE CAPT HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION ALONG WITH HIS INEXPERIENCE AS A CAPT (LESS THAN 100 HRS) CONTRIBUTED TO THE DECISION. I COULD HAVE BEEN MORE FORCEFUL ABOUT THE ISSUE TO STAY LEGAL, BUT MY CHOICE IN SUGGESTION WAS SAFER GIVEN THAT IT WAS RUSH HR AND THE SHORT TIME WE HAD TO RESET UP FOR A NEW APCH. I HAVE RESTUDIED AND POSITIVELY MEMORIZED WHAT APCHS MY COMPANY IS APPROVED FOR.

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.