An air carrier B727 freighter landed below minimums because the fuel required was not aboard.

Attributes
ACN	357448
Time
Date	199701
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	357448
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Destination and alternate WX were forecast to be good. On arrival at oak, an approach was initiated to runway 29. Prior to the final approach segment, the WX deteriorated below CAT ii minimums and a missed approach was accomplished. We had approximately 20 mins of extra fuel and entered a holding pattern at oak. WX was checked at our alternate and other possible diversion airports. Sfo ATIS continued to report 2 1/2 and 500 ft ceiling. When fuel reached alternate plus reserve, we departed hold for an approach to sfo runway 28L (runway 28R -- the CAT ii and CAT III runway was closed). The WX began to deteriorate and, before we reached the final approach segment, dropped below landing minimums. (2400 ft RVR for runway 28L.) a missed approach was accomplished. During vectoring, WX was checked continually and it was determined that the only above minimum airports were fresno and reno. Both would involve landing with less than 2000 pounds. I deemed it safer to initiate a second approach at sfo (now 1600 ft RVR). An uneventful approach and landing were made at sfo to runway 28L. I believe the problem was due to scheduling alternate airports that are subject to the same WX patterns, ie, fog as the destination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B727 FREIGHTER LANDED BELOW MINIMUMS BECAUSE THE FUEL REQUIRED WAS NOT ABOARD.

Narrative: DEST AND ALTERNATE WX WERE FORECAST TO BE GOOD. ON ARR AT OAK, AN APCH WAS INITIATED TO RWY 29. PRIOR TO THE FINAL APCH SEGMENT, THE WX DETERIORATED BELOW CAT II MINIMUMS AND A MISSED APCH WAS ACCOMPLISHED. WE HAD APPROX 20 MINS OF EXTRA FUEL AND ENTERED A HOLDING PATTERN AT OAK. WX WAS CHKED AT OUR ALTERNATE AND OTHER POSSIBLE DIVERSION ARPTS. SFO ATIS CONTINUED TO RPT 2 1/2 AND 500 FT CEILING. WHEN FUEL REACHED ALTERNATE PLUS RESERVE, WE DEPARTED HOLD FOR AN APCH TO SFO RWY 28L (RWY 28R -- THE CAT II AND CAT III RWY WAS CLOSED). THE WX BEGAN TO DETERIORATE AND, BEFORE WE REACHED THE FINAL APCH SEGMENT, DROPPED BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS. (2400 FT RVR FOR RWY 28L.) A MISSED APCH WAS ACCOMPLISHED. DURING VECTORING, WX WAS CHKED CONTINUALLY AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ONLY ABOVE MINIMUM ARPTS WERE FRESNO AND RENO. BOTH WOULD INVOLVE LNDG WITH LESS THAN 2000 LBS. I DEEMED IT SAFER TO INITIATE A SECOND APCH AT SFO (NOW 1600 FT RVR). AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG WERE MADE AT SFO TO RWY 28L. I BELIEVE THE PROB WAS DUE TO SCHEDULING ALTERNATE ARPTS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THE SAME WX PATTERNS, IE, FOG AS THE DEST.

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.