Narrative:

The captain arrived back in the cockpit after his break and was given the iad ATIS report by the first officer's. The reports indicated that the RVR system for the whole airport was OTS until further notice (ufn). The crew discussed the ramifications of this NOTAM on our operation since the WX was reported close to CAT 1 minimums. We continued inbound monitoring ATIS updates. The first officer was the PF. We briefed both the ILS runway 1R CAT 1 and CAT 2 approach and agreed that the captain would fly the approach if it were below CAT 1 minimums. Once on potomac approach control frequency, we were informed that the RVR system was operational and given vectors to the final approach course. The WX was reported above CAT 1 minimums. After being cleared for the approach, we were instructed to call the tower. We were outside of tille intersection when we contacted the tower. They gave us the current winds and cleared us to land. There was no mention of the RVR. Because of the ATIS NOTAM of the RVR system being OTS, the captain queried the tower controller about the current RVR, the controller stated, 'didn't you read the ATIS, the RVR system for the airport is OTS ufn.' the captain asked what the prevailing tower visibility is, and it was 1/8 of a mi and fog. We informed the controller that the visibility was below our landing minimums and that we were executing a missed approach. After executing the missed holding and being vectored for another approach, once the WX was above CAT 1 minimums, we landed uneventfully. The event seemed to be a large miscom between potomac approach and dulles tower that cost 7000 pounds of extra fuel, missed passenger connections, 30 extra mins of flight time, and unnecessary aggravation for the crew.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 LNDG IAD EXPERIENCED CONFUSION WITH RVR EQUIP STATUS.

Narrative: THE CAPT ARRIVED BACK IN THE COCKPIT AFTER HIS BREAK AND WAS GIVEN THE IAD ATIS RPT BY THE FO'S. THE RPTS INDICATED THAT THE RVR SYS FOR THE WHOLE ARPT WAS OTS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE (UFN). THE CREW DISCUSSED THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS NOTAM ON OUR OP SINCE THE WX WAS RPTED CLOSE TO CAT 1 MINIMUMS. WE CONTINUED INBOUND MONITORING ATIS UPDATES. THE FO WAS THE PF. WE BRIEFED BOTH THE ILS RWY 1R CAT 1 AND CAT 2 APCH AND AGREED THAT THE CAPT WOULD FLY THE APCH IF IT WERE BELOW CAT 1 MINIMUMS. ONCE ON POTOMAC APCH CTL FREQ, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE RVR SYS WAS OPERATIONAL AND GIVEN VECTORS TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. THE WX WAS RPTED ABOVE CAT 1 MINIMUMS. AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CALL THE TWR. WE WERE OUTSIDE OF TILLE INTXN WHEN WE CONTACTED THE TWR. THEY GAVE US THE CURRENT WINDS AND CLRED US TO LAND. THERE WAS NO MENTION OF THE RVR. BECAUSE OF THE ATIS NOTAM OF THE RVR SYS BEING OTS, THE CAPT QUERIED THE TWR CTLR ABOUT THE CURRENT RVR, THE CTLR STATED, 'DIDN'T YOU READ THE ATIS, THE RVR SYS FOR THE ARPT IS OTS UFN.' THE CAPT ASKED WHAT THE PREVAILING TWR VISIBILITY IS, AND IT WAS 1/8 OF A MI AND FOG. WE INFORMED THE CTLR THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS BELOW OUR LNDG MINIMUMS AND THAT WE WERE EXECUTING A MISSED APCH. AFTER EXECUTING THE MISSED HOLDING AND BEING VECTORED FOR ANOTHER APCH, ONCE THE WX WAS ABOVE CAT 1 MINIMUMS, WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE EVENT SEEMED TO BE A LARGE MISCOM BTWN POTOMAC APCH AND DULLES TWR THAT COST 7000 LBS OF EXTRA FUEL, MISSED PAX CONNECTIONS, 30 EXTRA MINS OF FLT TIME, AND UNNECESSARY AGGRAVATION FOR THE CREW.

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.