Narrative:

I took off from ict en route to ddc at XA30 jan/xa/00. Time en route was 1 hour. The WX, when I left, was indicating 2 1/2 mi visibility 3 mi overcast, light winds out of the southwest. Ddc has an ILS 1L and AWOS. When I got there, the visibility had dropped down to 1/4 mi. The forecast was calling for these conditions to improve by XC00. I had 2 1/2 hours of fuel plus IFR reserves when I left ict. The closest field at the time of arrival was 60 NM northeast of ddc, with 4 SM visibility and 5000 ft overcast. Upon arrival at ddc, I decided to hold at 6000 ft, hoping that the WX would improve so I could get on the ILS. I held for a little over 1 hour and then WX wasn't improving. By that time, I had 1 hour of total fuel left. I could have diverted to great bend (the airport that was ok to land). I would have risked landing well less than the legal IFR reserves. So, I decided to do the approach into ddc with 1/4 SM visibility, which was below the approach minimum at 1/2 SM. By doing so, I evidently broke the rules. I made it to the airport without any problems except a very bad feeling about what I had done. First of all, I should have only held for 15-20 mins, then diverted to the other airport (great bend) and wait there for the WX to improve. I was hoping that the WX would improve. As I kept holding, my chances of diverting got smaller and smaller and finally I made the mistake, basically digging my own hole.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AC500B CARGO PLT, ENRTE TO DDC, OPTIMISTICALLY HELD FOR 1 HR HOPING FOR WX TO IMPROVE. HE BURNED DOWN TO HIS IFR RESERVE AND WORRIED THAT DIVERTING TO GBD, WHICH WAS VFR, WOULD CAUSE HIM TO LAND WITH LESS THAN LEGAL FUEL. INSTEAD, HE SHOT THE ILS TO DDC IN WX BELOW THE REQUIRED MINIMUMS.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM ICT ENRTE TO DDC AT XA30 JAN/XA/00. TIME ENRTE WAS 1 HR. THE WX, WHEN I LEFT, WAS INDICATING 2 1/2 MI VISIBILITY 3 MI OVCST, LIGHT WINDS OUT OF THE SW. DDC HAS AN ILS 1L AND AWOS. WHEN I GOT THERE, THE VISIBILITY HAD DROPPED DOWN TO 1/4 MI. THE FORECAST WAS CALLING FOR THESE CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE BY XC00. I HAD 2 1/2 HRS OF FUEL PLUS IFR RESERVES WHEN I LEFT ICT. THE CLOSEST FIELD AT THE TIME OF ARR WAS 60 NM NE OF DDC, WITH 4 SM VISIBILITY AND 5000 FT OVCST. UPON ARR AT DDC, I DECIDED TO HOLD AT 6000 FT, HOPING THAT THE WX WOULD IMPROVE SO I COULD GET ON THE ILS. I HELD FOR A LITTLE OVER 1 HR AND THEN WX WASN'T IMPROVING. BY THAT TIME, I HAD 1 HR OF TOTAL FUEL LEFT. I COULD HAVE DIVERTED TO GREAT BEND (THE ARPT THAT WAS OK TO LAND). I WOULD HAVE RISKED LNDG WELL LESS THAN THE LEGAL IFR RESERVES. SO, I DECIDED TO DO THE APCH INTO DDC WITH 1/4 SM VISIBILITY, WHICH WAS BELOW THE APCH MINIMUM AT 1/2 SM. BY DOING SO, I EVIDENTLY BROKE THE RULES. I MADE IT TO THE ARPT WITHOUT ANY PROBS EXCEPT A VERY BAD FEELING ABOUT WHAT I HAD DONE. FIRST OF ALL, I SHOULD HAVE ONLY HELD FOR 15-20 MINS, THEN DIVERTED TO THE OTHER ARPT (GREAT BEND) AND WAIT THERE FOR THE WX TO IMPROVE. I WAS HOPING THAT THE WX WOULD IMPROVE. AS I KEPT HOLDING, MY CHANCES OF DIVERTING GOT SMALLER AND SMALLER AND FINALLY I MADE THE MISTAKE, BASICALLY DIGGING MY OWN HOLE.

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.