Aircraft lands below minimums.

Attributes
ACN	317030
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ays
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 2130 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	317030
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Departed dqh on IFR to ays (ceiling was 900 ft overcast at dqh and ays) with approximately 2 hours 15 mins fuel on board (adequate for estimated 15 mins en route and required additional fuel). Shot VOR a approach into ays and did not break out at map, so went missed. Aircraft was not ILS equipped so considered alternate airports. Ceilings were lowering at all nearby airports (below minimums). Fuel depletion became a major consideration in selecting an appropriate alternate as if unable to complete another approach, going to another alternate and a missed could have become a problem. The fuel gauges were showing extremely low (nothing else to rely on except calculations and due to location over okefenokee swamp) did not want to chance and emergency landing. I requested vectors to localizer at dqh and center was unable to comply due to radar coverage in area. I advised that I did not have an ADF on board which was needed for localizer runway 4 at dqh to identify IAF and FAF, ATC misunderstood and thought that I was not receiving the NDB and verified that it was functional. Our determination was that it was too risky to chance going to another airport so my decision was to execute the approach without all the required navaids. I proceeded on the aus transition and intercepted the localizer and proceeded outbound for the procedure turn and estimated the FAF inbound for the final descent. When I arrived at the MDA I did not break out, but I could make out ground below. Going missed was not an option because of the fuel situation so I descended below minimums in order to complete the approach which was completed without event. In order to avoid this situation again I would have to say that IFR flight in any aircraft with minimal navigational equipment is foolish and should not be attempted. Also, having minimal fuel although within the far into IMC should be avoided. The threat of an emergency descent through the clouds and a swamp landing in alligator alley was terribly disconcerting! I also believe that IFR operations in non-radar environment can be extremely hazardous and exercised only with extreme caution!, if at all!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT LANDS BELOW MINIMUMS.

Narrative: DEPARTED DQH ON IFR TO AYS (CEILING WAS 900 FT OVCST AT DQH AND AYS) WITH APPROX 2 HRS 15 MINS FUEL ON BOARD (ADEQUATE FOR ESTIMATED 15 MINS ENRTE AND REQUIRED ADDITIONAL FUEL). SHOT VOR A APCH INTO AYS AND DID NOT BREAK OUT AT MAP, SO WENT MISSED. ACFT WAS NOT ILS EQUIPPED SO CONSIDERED ALTERNATE ARPTS. CEILINGS WERE LOWERING AT ALL NEARBY ARPTS (BELOW MINIMUMS). FUEL DEPLETION BECAME A MAJOR CONSIDERATION IN SELECTING AN APPROPRIATE ALTERNATE AS IF UNABLE TO COMPLETE ANOTHER APCH, GOING TO ANOTHER ALTERNATE AND A MISSED COULD HAVE BECOME A PROB. THE FUEL GAUGES WERE SHOWING EXTREMELY LOW (NOTHING ELSE TO RELY ON EXCEPT CALCULATIONS AND DUE TO LOCATION OVER OKEFENOKEE SWAMP) DID NOT WANT TO CHANCE AND EMER LNDG. I REQUESTED VECTORS TO LOC AT DQH AND CTR WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY DUE TO RADAR COVERAGE IN AREA. I ADVISED THAT I DID NOT HAVE AN ADF ON BOARD WHICH WAS NEEDED FOR LOC RWY 4 AT DQH TO IDENT IAF AND FAF, ATC MISUNDERSTOOD AND THOUGHT THAT I WAS NOT RECEIVING THE NDB AND VERIFIED THAT IT WAS FUNCTIONAL. OUR DETERMINATION WAS THAT IT WAS TOO RISKY TO CHANCE GOING TO ANOTHER ARPT SO MY DECISION WAS TO EXECUTE THE APCH WITHOUT ALL THE REQUIRED NAVAIDS. I PROCEEDED ON THE AUS TRANSITION AND INTERCEPTED THE LOC AND PROCEEDED OUTBOUND FOR THE PROC TURN AND ESTIMATED THE FAF INBOUND FOR THE FINAL DSCNT. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE MDA I DID NOT BREAK OUT, BUT I COULD MAKE OUT GND BELOW. GOING MISSED WAS NOT AN OPTION BECAUSE OF THE FUEL SIT SO I DSNDED BELOW MINIMUMS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE APCH WHICH WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT EVENT. IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS SIT AGAIN I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT IFR FLT IN ANY ACFT WITH MINIMAL NAVIGATIONAL EQUIP IS FOOLISH AND SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED. ALSO, HAVING MINIMAL FUEL ALTHOUGH WITHIN THE FAR INTO IMC SHOULD BE AVOIDED. THE THREAT OF AN EMER DSCNT THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND A SWAMP LNDG IN ALLIGATOR ALLEY WAS TERRIBLY DISCONCERTING! I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IFR OPS IN NON-RADAR ENVIRONMENT CAN BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AND EXERCISED ONLY WITH EXTREME CAUTION!, IF AT ALL!

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.