A cpr paye flight crew found that the official WX report had changed after he had canceled his IFR c...

Attributes
ACN	385790
Time
Date	199711
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gri
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	PA-31T Cheyenne II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	385790
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were on an IFR flight plan from mut to gri. We were vectored for the ILS runway 35 at gri and told we were #2 for the approach and would have to do 1 turn in the hold at the OM. We did the hold and after becoming established inbound on the localizer again we were cleared for the approach, but before reaching the OM inbound center advised us that he had not received a cancellation from the aircraft on the approach in front of us and we would have to go around the holding pattern again. We had gotten the ASOS WX for gri as 310 degrees 12 KTS 35M-5N sctol 9 broken 25. It was a little after XX00Z. Instead of going around the holding pattern again, we asked center again for gri WX. All he told us was it was at 9 scattered. Since we had the airport in sight from our position outside the marker we canceled IFR and had an uneventful landing. After landing I checked WX on duat and found that a special off the ASOS was below VFR since when we canceled IFR WX was VFR at the airport and it went IFR in the 5 mins or so before we landed. The ASOS at gri is not on a broadcast frequency -- it must be requested from ZMP or FSS after the tower closes. We were probably on a 2 or 3 mi final when the special was put out. So we actually landed at an IFR airport. I just don't know how we could have known that without calling FSS every 2 mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR PAYE FLC FOUND THAT THE OFFICIAL WX RPT HAD CHANGED AFTER HE HAD CANCELED HIS IFR CLRNC IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE HIS APCH AND LNDG. THE RPTR QUESTIONS HOW HE COULD BE EXPECTED TO MONITOR ASOS CONSTANTLY FOR CHANGES WHILE MAKING AN APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM MUT TO GRI. WE WERE VECTORED FOR THE ILS RWY 35 AT GRI AND TOLD WE WERE #2 FOR THE APCH AND WOULD HAVE TO DO 1 TURN IN THE HOLD AT THE OM. WE DID THE HOLD AND AFTER BECOMING ESTABLISHED INBOUND ON THE LOC AGAIN WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH, BUT BEFORE REACHING THE OM INBOUND CTR ADVISED US THAT HE HAD NOT RECEIVED A CANCELLATION FROM THE ACFT ON THE APCH IN FRONT OF US AND WE WOULD HAVE TO GO AROUND THE HOLDING PATTERN AGAIN. WE HAD GOTTEN THE ASOS WX FOR GRI AS 310 DEGS 12 KTS 35M-5N SCTOL 9 BROKEN 25. IT WAS A LITTLE AFTER XX00Z. INSTEAD OF GOING AROUND THE HOLDING PATTERN AGAIN, WE ASKED CTR AGAIN FOR GRI WX. ALL HE TOLD US WAS IT WAS AT 9 SCATTERED. SINCE WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT FROM OUR POS OUTSIDE THE MARKER WE CANCELED IFR AND HAD AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. AFTER LNDG I CHKED WX ON DUAT AND FOUND THAT A SPECIAL OFF THE ASOS WAS BELOW VFR SINCE WHEN WE CANCELED IFR WX WAS VFR AT THE ARPT AND IT WENT IFR IN THE 5 MINS OR SO BEFORE WE LANDED. THE ASOS AT GRI IS NOT ON A BROADCAST FREQ -- IT MUST BE REQUESTED FROM ZMP OR FSS AFTER THE TWR CLOSES. WE WERE PROBABLY ON A 2 OR 3 MI FINAL WHEN THE SPECIAL WAS PUT OUT. SO WE ACTUALLY LANDED AT AN IFR ARPT. I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW WE COULD HAVE KNOWN THAT WITHOUT CALLING FSS EVERY 2 MINS.

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.

A cpr paye flight crew found that the official WX report had changed after he had canceled his IFR clearance in order to expedite his approach and landing. The reporter questions how he could be expected to monitor ASOS constantly for changes while making an approach.