Narrative:

We received radar vectors for runway 4. Upon being turned on final and cleared for the approach we were asked by the controller to report the runway in sight. Considering the reported WX and this request, we assumed this would be a visual approach. We saw airport area lighting but couldn't confirm the full runway. After passing the OM we went IFR. At approximately 200 ft above minimums we saw the approach lights off to the right. We executed a missed approach. While being vectored for another approach the controller advised that the RVR was 1400 ft. We checked on our alternate and the WX was the same. The WX in the whole area was deteriorating rapidly. I felt the most prudent action was to get on the ground as soon as possible at the airport we were most familiar with. We flew an autoland approach and landing. We saw the approach lights at 200 ft above minimums and landed without incident. The ATIS remained as reported above even as the RVR report went as low as 400 ft. The RVR never got above 1000 ft for 10 hours.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A WDB LANDED WHEN THE CURRENT RVR INDICATED BELOW PUBLISHED MINIMUMS, DUE TO HIS FAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT, AND ALTERNATE ARPT WX RPTS WERE THE SAME AND FORECASTED TO GO DOWN FURTHER.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS FOR RWY 4. UPON BEING TURNED ON FINAL AND CLRED FOR THE APCH WE WERE ASKED BY THE CTLR TO RPT THE RWY IN SIGHT. CONSIDERING THE RPTED WX AND THIS REQUEST, WE ASSUMED THIS WOULD BE A VISUAL APCH. WE SAW ARPT AREA LIGHTING BUT COULDN'T CONFIRM THE FULL RWY. AFTER PASSING THE OM WE WENT IFR. AT APPROX 200 FT ABOVE MINIMUMS WE SAW THE APCH LIGHTS OFF TO THE R. WE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH. WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR ANOTHER APCH THE CTLR ADVISED THAT THE RVR WAS 1400 FT. WE CHKED ON OUR ALTERNATE AND THE WX WAS THE SAME. THE WX IN THE WHOLE AREA WAS DETERIORATING RAPIDLY. I FELT THE MOST PRUDENT ACTION WAS TO GET ON THE GND ASAP AT THE ARPT WE WERE MOST FAMILIAR WITH. WE FLEW AN AUTOLAND APCH AND LNDG. WE SAW THE APCH LIGHTS AT 200 FT ABOVE MINIMUMS AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE ATIS REMAINED AS RPTED ABOVE EVEN AS THE RVR RPT WENT AS LOW AS 400 FT. THE RVR NEVER GOT ABOVE 1000 FT FOR 10 HRS.

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.