B727 crew started and completed ILS approach without required RVR minimums.

Attributes
ACN	438667
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC VMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia.tracon tower : fll.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 9l
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	438667
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On initial approach for the ILS runway 9L to fll, WX was good (ceiling and visibility VFR). While established on the localizer and descending on the GS through 3000 ft, tower advised us the current visibility had decreased to 3000 ft RVR. We continued the approach and landed uneventfully in moderate rain. Later, we realized we were probably illegal to continue this approach because the required visibility for the ILS is 5000 ft RVR or 1 mi. Our mistake was caused because we assumed we were already on the final segment of the approach since we were established on the GS on the approach. This approach, however, has a published GS intercept altitude of 2000 ft. This 2000 ft intercept altitude is the altitude beyond which you must descend prior to being considered into the final approach segment, even though the GS was intercepted at a higher altitude. The changing WX conditions in a very busy airport environment caused us to overlook the technical point of where the FAF actually is on a precision approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW STARTED AND COMPLETED ILS APCH WITHOUT REQUIRED RVR MINIMUMS.

Narrative: ON INITIAL APCH FOR THE ILS RWY 9L TO FLL, WX WAS GOOD (CEILING AND VISIBILITY VFR). WHILE ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC AND DSNDING ON THE GS THROUGH 3000 FT, TWR ADVISED US THE CURRENT VISIBILITY HAD DECREASED TO 3000 FT RVR. WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY IN MODERATE RAIN. LATER, WE REALIZED WE WERE PROBABLY ILLEGAL TO CONTINUE THIS APCH BECAUSE THE REQUIRED VISIBILITY FOR THE ILS IS 5000 FT RVR OR 1 MI. OUR MISTAKE WAS CAUSED BECAUSE WE ASSUMED WE WERE ALREADY ON THE FINAL SEGMENT OF THE APCH SINCE WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON THE GS ON THE APCH. THIS APCH, HOWEVER, HAS A PUBLISHED GS INTERCEPT ALT OF 2000 FT. THIS 2000 FT INTERCEPT ALT IS THE ALT BEYOND WHICH YOU MUST DSND PRIOR TO BEING CONSIDERED INTO THE FINAL APCH SEGMENT, EVEN THOUGH THE GS WAS INTERCEPTED AT A HIGHER ALT. THE CHANGING WX CONDITIONS IN A VERY BUSY ARPT ENVIRONMENT CAUSED US TO OVERLOOK THE TECHNICAL POINT OF WHERE THE FAF ACTUALLY IS ON A PRECISION APCH.

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.