An air carrier crew made an illegal circling approach.

Attributes
ACN	306601
Time
Date	199506
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : geg
State Reference	WA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : circling arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	306601
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approach runway closed for construction. Landing runway required circling approach. WX at time of departure was VFR, 4000 ft overcast, visibility 7 mi, light rain. At top of descent, ZSE informed us the WX had deteriorated and aircraft were holding. We contacted dispatch to coordinate our plan due to marginal fuel. Conflicting WX reports received from center, dispatch and ATIS. Finally decided on one approach with alternate of psc. Missed the approach at 1000 ft AGL, which is company minimums for all circling approachs and diverted to psc. Refueled and waited for forecast improvement. WX at time of second approach several hours later was 300 ft scattered 400 ft broken 1500 ft overcast visibility 4 mi light rain and fog. Successful approach and landing. The next morning I realized that we should never have started the approach. The 400 ft broken layer constituted a ceiling which was below circling minimums. I think we were 'sucked in' by the frequent use of ILS approachs with visibility only minimums (this was an ILS), higher company minimums and the 1500 ft overcast layer reported. I need to review legality as well as safety procedures in approach briefing from the captain.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CREW MADE AN ILLEGAL CIRCLING APCH.

Narrative: APCH RWY CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION. LNDG RWY REQUIRED CIRCLING APCH. WX AT TIME OF DEP WAS VFR, 4000 FT OVCST, VISIBILITY 7 MI, LIGHT RAIN. AT TOP OF DSCNT, ZSE INFORMED US THE WX HAD DETERIORATED AND ACFT WERE HOLDING. WE CONTACTED DISPATCH TO COORDINATE OUR PLAN DUE TO MARGINAL FUEL. CONFLICTING WX RPTS RECEIVED FROM CTR, DISPATCH AND ATIS. FINALLY DECIDED ON ONE APCH WITH ALTERNATE OF PSC. MISSED THE APCH AT 1000 FT AGL, WHICH IS COMPANY MINIMUMS FOR ALL CIRCLING APCHS AND DIVERTED TO PSC. REFUELED AND WAITED FOR FORECAST IMPROVEMENT. WX AT TIME OF SECOND APCH SEVERAL HRS LATER WAS 300 FT SCATTERED 400 FT BROKEN 1500 FT OVCST VISIBILITY 4 MI LIGHT RAIN AND FOG. SUCCESSFUL APCH AND LNDG. THE NEXT MORNING I REALIZED THAT WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE STARTED THE APCH. THE 400 FT BROKEN LAYER CONSTITUTED A CEILING WHICH WAS BELOW CIRCLING MINIMUMS. I THINK WE WERE 'SUCKED IN' BY THE FREQUENT USE OF ILS APCHS WITH VISIBILITY ONLY MINIMUMS (THIS WAS AN ILS), HIGHER COMPANY MINIMUMS AND THE 1500 FT OVCST LAYER RPTED. I NEED TO REVIEW LEGALITY AS WELL AS SAFETY PROCS IN APCH BRIEFING FROM THE CAPT.

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.