Narrative:

Arriving to execute the approach at marshall, we had descended from FL430. Approximately 50 NM out, we told the controller we expected to do the VOR 12 approach at marshall. He said 'roger' and gave us the AWOS WX as 200 ft and 1 1/2 mi visibility. He said 'be advised that is a 600 ft approach.' we (my copilot) said 'our approach plate shows 381 ft for the straight-in VOR runway 12 with DME and local altimeter,' all of which we had. He disagreed and handed us off to the next controller. Signing on with the next controller, we restated our intent to execute the straight-in VOR runway 12 approach. He repeated what the previous controller had said about the minimums. And we said we had the approach plate and it was 381 ft and 3/4 mi. It went back and forth a couple times about minimums. It was not unfriendly or heated but he started using 'sir' a lot (bad sign). It was obvious nobody was going to give. We said we would like to try the approach and, if we missed, we would go to msp. He cleared us for the approach. We did it to 381 ft AGL as per approach plate and made ground contact about 3 mi out. We had the approach lights at about 1 mi. We landed successfully. The only 600 ft 1 mi minimums at marshall are for VOR runway 12 circle to land with DME and redwood altimeter. When we briefed for the flight, the approach was not notamed. After we landed, we checked NOTAMS again, nothing. We called princeton FSS the next day and they had an fdc NOTAM making it 421 ft 1 mi. Later in the day, we were flying and asked center controller what he showed for minimums for the approach. He, after much digging, said 421 ft 1 mi by amendment 5A. Lots of confusion, but it's apparently 421 ft 1 mi. So the original controllers and we were all wrong.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH TO BELOW MINIMUMS.

Narrative: ARRIVING TO EXECUTE THE APCH AT MARSHALL, WE HAD DSNDED FROM FL430. APPROX 50 NM OUT, WE TOLD THE CTLR WE EXPECTED TO DO THE VOR 12 APCH AT MARSHALL. HE SAID 'ROGER' AND GAVE US THE AWOS WX AS 200 FT AND 1 1/2 MI VISIBILITY. HE SAID 'BE ADVISED THAT IS A 600 FT APCH.' WE (MY COPLT) SAID 'OUR APCH PLATE SHOWS 381 FT FOR THE STRAIGHT-IN VOR RWY 12 WITH DME AND LCL ALTIMETER,' ALL OF WHICH WE HAD. HE DISAGREED AND HANDED US OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR. SIGNING ON WITH THE NEXT CTLR, WE RESTATED OUR INTENT TO EXECUTE THE STRAIGHT-IN VOR RWY 12 APCH. HE REPEATED WHAT THE PREVIOUS CTLR HAD SAID ABOUT THE MINIMUMS. AND WE SAID WE HAD THE APCH PLATE AND IT WAS 381 FT AND 3/4 MI. IT WENT BACK AND FORTH A COUPLE TIMES ABOUT MINIMUMS. IT WAS NOT UNFRIENDLY OR HEATED BUT HE STARTED USING 'SIR' A LOT (BAD SIGN). IT WAS OBVIOUS NOBODY WAS GOING TO GIVE. WE SAID WE WOULD LIKE TO TRY THE APCH AND, IF WE MISSED, WE WOULD GO TO MSP. HE CLRED US FOR THE APCH. WE DID IT TO 381 FT AGL AS PER APCH PLATE AND MADE GND CONTACT ABOUT 3 MI OUT. WE HAD THE APCH LIGHTS AT ABOUT 1 MI. WE LANDED SUCCESSFULLY. THE ONLY 600 FT 1 MI MINIMUMS AT MARSHALL ARE FOR VOR RWY 12 CIRCLE TO LAND WITH DME AND REDWOOD ALTIMETER. WHEN WE BRIEFED FOR THE FLT, THE APCH WAS NOT NOTAMED. AFTER WE LANDED, WE CHKED NOTAMS AGAIN, NOTHING. WE CALLED PRINCETON FSS THE NEXT DAY AND THEY HAD AN FDC NOTAM MAKING IT 421 FT 1 MI. LATER IN THE DAY, WE WERE FLYING AND ASKED CTR CTLR WHAT HE SHOWED FOR MINIMUMS FOR THE APCH. HE, AFTER MUCH DIGGING, SAID 421 FT 1 MI BY AMENDMENT 5A. LOTS OF CONFUSION, BUT IT'S APPARENTLY 421 FT 1 MI. SO THE ORIGINAL CTLRS AND WE WERE ALL WRONG.

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.