Narrative:

Our flight was an international cargo flight. The flight was on a reclr flight plan with reclr point nuzan. Clearance to proceed from the reclr point was received approximately 1 1/2 hours prior to the reclr point. WX for destination and planned alternate was as forecasted and presented no problem. The WX forecasts were updated 3 times in the next 4 1/2 hours with no significant changes. The last update was received just prior to arrival descent was ZZZZ1; variable 02; runway 35 RVR 550 M; ZZZZ2 via ATIS: variable 01; 2500 M clear 9 degrees/7 degrees 101.8 no sig. During descent to 2700 M and on the dumet 21A arrival; we were advised by approach that ZZZ1 runway 35 RVR was now 325 M (required 350 M).we entered holding at the IAF; shy VOR. ATIS for ZZZZ2 remained unchanged. After 10 mins of holding and reaching our divert fuel of 16000 pounds; we requested to divert to ZZZZ2 and permission to proceed directly to the ILS 36 IAF. Permission was granted. 1/2 way to the IAF; we were informed by approach that the landing WX at ZZZZ2 was now below CAT I ILS 36 landing minimums (RVR 400 M; required 550 M). Throughout this period; the ZZZZ1 ATIS information remained unchanged. We requested and received permission to return to holding at ZZZZ1 VOR. Approaching ZZZZ1; 'minimum fuel' was declared at 13000 pounds. Alternate airports within our fuel range were requested. The nearest being 168 NM away and not an available option. We requested radar vectors to the ZZZZ2 ILS 35 approach course and approval to fly the CAT ii ILS 35 approach. Approval was granted. Reported RVR remained at 325 M for the entire approach. An autoplt coupled approach and landing were flown. The approach lights were visible at an radar altitude of 101 ft and visibility appeared to be greater than 325 M. Scheduled landing fuel was 18000 pounds. Actual landing fuel was 9500 pounds. 1) while the use of reclr flight plans does require less reserve fuel; this may not be a good option when destination WX may be marginal. 2) the use of close proximity alternates which may be affected by the same WX affecting the original destination (even though not forecasted) must be closely monitored by the company's dispatch and air crew. 3) the frequency and promptness to update ATIS information at china airports is unknown. The WX change at ZZZZ1 had occurred much earlier and the ATIS information had not been amended to reflect the change.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11F FLT CREW ON AN INTL FLT WITH A REDISPATCH POINT ARE CLRED TO REDISPATCH AND PROCEED TO THE DEST. FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS BELOW MINIMUM WX AT DEST AND ARE GRANTED PERMISSION TO EXECUTE AN APCH WITH BELOW MINIMUM WX DUE TO LOW FUEL.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS AN INTL CARGO FLT. THE FLT WAS ON A RECLR FLT PLAN WITH RECLR POINT NUZAN. CLRNC TO PROCEED FROM THE RECLR POINT WAS RECEIVED APPROX 1 1/2 HRS PRIOR TO THE RECLR POINT. WX FOR DEST AND PLANNED ALTERNATE WAS AS FORECASTED AND PRESENTED NO PROB. THE WX FORECASTS WERE UPDATED 3 TIMES IN THE NEXT 4 1/2 HRS WITH NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. THE LAST UPDATE WAS RECEIVED JUST PRIOR TO ARR DSCNT WAS ZZZZ1; VARIABLE 02; RWY 35 RVR 550 M; ZZZZ2 VIA ATIS: VARIABLE 01; 2500 M CLR 9 DEGS/7 DEGS 101.8 NO SIG. DURING DSCNT TO 2700 M AND ON THE DUMET 21A ARR; WE WERE ADVISED BY APCH THAT ZZZ1 RWY 35 RVR WAS NOW 325 M (REQUIRED 350 M).WE ENTERED HOLDING AT THE IAF; SHY VOR. ATIS FOR ZZZZ2 REMAINED UNCHANGED. AFTER 10 MINS OF HOLDING AND REACHING OUR DIVERT FUEL OF 16000 LBS; WE REQUESTED TO DIVERT TO ZZZZ2 AND PERMISSION TO PROCEED DIRECTLY TO THE ILS 36 IAF. PERMISSION WAS GRANTED. 1/2 WAY TO THE IAF; WE WERE INFORMED BY APCH THAT THE LNDG WX AT ZZZZ2 WAS NOW BELOW CAT I ILS 36 LNDG MINIMUMS (RVR 400 M; REQUIRED 550 M). THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD; THE ZZZZ1 ATIS INFO REMAINED UNCHANGED. WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO RETURN TO HOLDING AT ZZZZ1 VOR. APCHING ZZZZ1; 'MINIMUM FUEL' WAS DECLARED AT 13000 LBS. ALTERNATE ARPTS WITHIN OUR FUEL RANGE WERE REQUESTED. THE NEAREST BEING 168 NM AWAY AND NOT AN AVAILABLE OPTION. WE REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO THE ZZZZ2 ILS 35 APCH COURSE AND APPROVAL TO FLY THE CAT II ILS 35 APCH. APPROVAL WAS GRANTED. RPTED RVR REMAINED AT 325 M FOR THE ENTIRE APCH. AN AUTOPLT COUPLED APCH AND LNDG WERE FLOWN. THE APCH LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE AT AN RADAR ALT OF 101 FT AND VISIBILITY APPEARED TO BE GREATER THAN 325 M. SCHEDULED LNDG FUEL WAS 18000 LBS. ACTUAL LNDG FUEL WAS 9500 LBS. 1) WHILE THE USE OF RECLR FLT PLANS DOES REQUIRE LESS RESERVE FUEL; THIS MAY NOT BE A GOOD OPTION WHEN DEST WX MAY BE MARGINAL. 2) THE USE OF CLOSE PROX ALTERNATES WHICH MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE SAME WX AFFECTING THE ORIGINAL DEST (EVEN THOUGH NOT FORECASTED) MUST BE CLOSELY MONITORED BY THE COMPANY'S DISPATCH AND AIR CREW. 3) THE FREQ AND PROMPTNESS TO UPDATE ATIS INFO AT CHINA ARPTS IS UNKNOWN. THE WX CHANGE AT ZZZZ1 HAD OCCURRED MUCH EARLIER AND THE ATIS INFO HAD NOT BEEN AMENDED TO REFLECT THE CHANGE.

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.