Narrative:

Prior to pushback in cvg; we noted that pwm had part time ATC facilities and that the release noted that runway 11/29 had intermittent closures 'wef' -- when effective. The captain contacted dispatch prior to push; and was advised that ATC tower would be closed on arrival. At our arrival time; WX was forecast VFR; with temperature for lower ceiling and light rain. Mht was listed as the alternate. Beginning our descent into pwm; ASOS reported that WX was 2700 ft broken; 2000 ft scattered and 10 mi. Recorded NOTAM also advised that runway 11/29 closed and ILS system was OTS along with pilot controled lighting system. Our only option became a visual approach to runway 35; a 5000 ft runway with VASI. ZBW advised he could take us over the field at 2600 ft; his MVA; but could provide no other radar approachs. The captain contacted an airport ground crew on tower/CTAF; who advised they would turn on runway lights/VASI to runway 35. On a vector to the airport at 2600 ft; we broke out (barely) above the field and turned right to enter a downwind. We immediately went IMC and began a climb to 4000 ft per ZBW. Bos asked intentions and suggested we might get a visual by descending over the ocean and getting under the layers. Bos vectored us out over the water; cleared us back to MVA of 2600 ft and then vectored us 'towards' the runway. We picked up the VASI about 8 mi out; requested and received a visual approach; clearance and landed. The captain and I agreed that we would immediately divert to mht if we had not gotten a visual more than 5 mi out. Comments: 1) we were dispatched to an airport with no operable instrument approachs in MVFR conditions. 2) if dispatch had advised us prior to departure when we called that ILS and the long runway was closed; we would have added fuel. 3) fog and low ceilings are common along the coast in the northeast during the fall. We got a visual approach by 100 ft of cloud clearance on the second try. This flight could have easily diverted; costing the company a lot of money.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARJ IS DISPATCHED TO ARPT FORECAST TO BE VFR AND ENCOUNTERED IMC CONDITIONS WITH NO OPERABLE INST APCHS AVAILABLE.

Narrative: PRIOR TO PUSHBACK IN CVG; WE NOTED THAT PWM HAD PART TIME ATC FACILITIES AND THAT THE RELEASE NOTED THAT RWY 11/29 HAD INTERMITTENT CLOSURES 'WEF' -- WHEN EFFECTIVE. THE CAPT CONTACTED DISPATCH PRIOR TO PUSH; AND WAS ADVISED THAT ATC TWR WOULD BE CLOSED ON ARR. AT OUR ARR TIME; WX WAS FORECAST VFR; WITH TEMP FOR LOWER CEILING AND LIGHT RAIN. MHT WAS LISTED AS THE ALTERNATE. BEGINNING OUR DSCNT INTO PWM; ASOS RPTED THAT WX WAS 2700 FT BROKEN; 2000 FT SCATTERED AND 10 MI. RECORDED NOTAM ALSO ADVISED THAT RWY 11/29 CLOSED AND ILS SYS WAS OTS ALONG WITH PLT CTLED LIGHTING SYS. OUR ONLY OPTION BECAME A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 35; A 5000 FT RWY WITH VASI. ZBW ADVISED HE COULD TAKE US OVER THE FIELD AT 2600 FT; HIS MVA; BUT COULD PROVIDE NO OTHER RADAR APCHS. THE CAPT CONTACTED AN ARPT GND CREW ON TWR/CTAF; WHO ADVISED THEY WOULD TURN ON RWY LIGHTS/VASI TO RWY 35. ON A VECTOR TO THE ARPT AT 2600 FT; WE BROKE OUT (BARELY) ABOVE THE FIELD AND TURNED R TO ENTER A DOWNWIND. WE IMMEDIATELY WENT IMC AND BEGAN A CLB TO 4000 FT PER ZBW. BOS ASKED INTENTIONS AND SUGGESTED WE MIGHT GET A VISUAL BY DSNDING OVER THE OCEAN AND GETTING UNDER THE LAYERS. BOS VECTORED US OUT OVER THE WATER; CLRED US BACK TO MVA OF 2600 FT AND THEN VECTORED US 'TOWARDS' THE RWY. WE PICKED UP THE VASI ABOUT 8 MI OUT; REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A VISUAL APCH; CLRNC AND LANDED. THE CAPT AND I AGREED THAT WE WOULD IMMEDIATELY DIVERT TO MHT IF WE HAD NOT GOTTEN A VISUAL MORE THAN 5 MI OUT. COMMENTS: 1) WE WERE DISPATCHED TO AN ARPT WITH NO OPERABLE INST APCHS IN MVFR CONDITIONS. 2) IF DISPATCH HAD ADVISED US PRIOR TO DEP WHEN WE CALLED THAT ILS AND THE LONG RWY WAS CLOSED; WE WOULD HAVE ADDED FUEL. 3) FOG AND LOW CEILINGS ARE COMMON ALONG THE COAST IN THE NE DURING THE FALL. WE GOT A VISUAL APCH BY 100 FT OF CLOUD CLRNC ON THE SECOND TRY. THIS FLT COULD HAVE EASILY DIVERTED; COSTING THE COMPANY A LOT OF MONEY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.