Narrative:

On descent to fat on alta 6 arrival, we were told to hold with an efc of XA45. Time now was XA20. WX at fat was 1200 RVR touchdown zone and 3500 ft RVR rollout. The captain and myself determined that at the efc we would either take the approach to fat or divert to our alternate bfl. During the hold we checked WX at other locations mce, visibility, and bfl (visibility was 1/2 mi and 100). At XA45 we were given a new efc of XA52. We called our company and told them we were diverting to bfl. A few moments later approach control gave us a lower altitude as the WX was rapidly improving and cleared us for the approach. With aircraft landing at fat we chose to turn inbound and land at fat. As we passed the OM fat had gone below minimums and we missed the approach. We then decided our safest option was to divert to bfl. As we were handed off to bfl approach we stated 'we may be approaching minimum fuel as we come abeam the airport.' we landed at bfl out of the ILS without incident with approximately 200-300 pounds on board. We refueled the aircraft, filed a new flight plan and received new fat WX and departed within 22 mins followed by an ILS and landing in fat. The WX forecast we had when departing sna did not forecast any possibility of fat visibility below minimums.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT HOLDS TOO LONG, ATTEMPTS APCH INTO DEST ARPT, MISSES APCH AND PROCEEDS TO ALTERNATE. ARRIVES WITH MINIMUM FUEL, GIVES ATC ADVISORY ON THIS.

Narrative: ON DSCNT TO FAT ON ALTA 6 ARR, WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD WITH AN EFC OF XA45. TIME NOW WAS XA20. WX AT FAT WAS 1200 RVR TOUCHDOWN ZONE AND 3500 FT RVR ROLLOUT. THE CAPT AND MYSELF DETERMINED THAT AT THE EFC WE WOULD EITHER TAKE THE APCH TO FAT OR DIVERT TO OUR ALTERNATE BFL. DURING THE HOLD WE CHKED WX AT OTHER LOCATIONS MCE, VIS, AND BFL (VISIBILITY WAS 1/2 MI AND 100). AT XA45 WE WERE GIVEN A NEW EFC OF XA52. WE CALLED OUR COMPANY AND TOLD THEM WE WERE DIVERTING TO BFL. A FEW MOMENTS LATER APCH CTL GAVE US A LOWER ALT AS THE WX WAS RAPIDLY IMPROVING AND CLRED US FOR THE APCH. WITH ACFT LNDG AT FAT WE CHOSE TO TURN INBOUND AND LAND AT FAT. AS WE PASSED THE OM FAT HAD GONE BELOW MINIMUMS AND WE MISSED THE APCH. WE THEN DECIDED OUR SAFEST OPTION WAS TO DIVERT TO BFL. AS WE WERE HANDED OFF TO BFL APCH WE STATED 'WE MAY BE APCHING MINIMUM FUEL AS WE COME ABEAM THE ARPT.' WE LANDED AT BFL OUT OF THE ILS WITHOUT INCIDENT WITH APPROX 200-300 LBS ON BOARD. WE REFUELED THE ACFT, FILED A NEW FLT PLAN AND RECEIVED NEW FAT WX AND DEPARTED WITHIN 22 MINS FOLLOWED BY AN ILS AND LNDG IN FAT. THE WX FORECAST WE HAD WHEN DEPARTING SNA DID NOT FORECAST ANY POSSIBILITY OF FAT VISIBILITY BELOW MINIMUMS.

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.