Narrative:

A flight scheduled to blm was routed to N12 1 hour before starting the trip. The original destination blm could not provide light system for landing at night and N12 was the closest airport available for landing. The WX forecast in the area was 7-10 mi visibility with 7000 ft scattered; the actual WX at blm was 2100 ft broken and 2900 ft overcast with 10 mi visibility (N12 did not have reported WX). We departed to destination N12 on the IFR flight plan. During the descent and approach to lakewood; nj; N12; we were intending to do a visual approach to N12 expecting to be below clouds below 2900 ft as metar reported. The WX conditions were such that we could begin our descent through IMC while being vectored to the airport. The ceilings were above the altitude at the IAF. The ATC requested us type of an approach and started vectored us for a GPS approach available at the field. During the approach briefing; we found out that these IFR procedures are not available at night at N12. We broke out into VMC before the IAF and proceeded to the airport visually and canceled our IFR flight plan while still in the air. We realized later that we should have requested the visual approach and not the instrument approach procedure or change destinations if WX were close to minimums. While no harm was done; analyzing this possibly dangerous situation; I came to conclusion that several areas need improvements in the future: 1) AFD should mention about night IFR procedures 'na' in airport notes (it is only small print on the approach plate). 2) the approach control should also be aware that this procedure is not available at night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PILATUS PC12 FLT CREW EXECUTES AN UNAUTH APCH TO N12.

Narrative: A FLT SCHEDULED TO BLM WAS ROUTED TO N12 1 HR BEFORE STARTING THE TRIP. THE ORIGINAL DEST BLM COULD NOT PROVIDE LIGHT SYS FOR LNDG AT NIGHT AND N12 WAS THE CLOSEST ARPT AVAILABLE FOR LNDG. THE WX FORECAST IN THE AREA WAS 7-10 MI VISIBILITY WITH 7000 FT SCATTERED; THE ACTUAL WX AT BLM WAS 2100 FT BROKEN AND 2900 FT OVCST WITH 10 MI VISIBILITY (N12 DID NOT HAVE RPTED WX). WE DEPARTED TO DEST N12 ON THE IFR FLT PLAN. DURING THE DSCNT AND APCH TO LAKEWOOD; NJ; N12; WE WERE INTENDING TO DO A VISUAL APCH TO N12 EXPECTING TO BE BELOW CLOUDS BELOW 2900 FT AS METAR RPTED. THE WX CONDITIONS WERE SUCH THAT WE COULD BEGIN OUR DSCNT THROUGH IMC WHILE BEING VECTORED TO THE ARPT. THE CEILINGS WERE ABOVE THE ALT AT THE IAF. THE ATC REQUESTED US TYPE OF AN APCH AND STARTED VECTORED US FOR A GPS APCH AVAILABLE AT THE FIELD. DURING THE APCH BRIEFING; WE FOUND OUT THAT THESE IFR PROCS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT NIGHT AT N12. WE BROKE OUT INTO VMC BEFORE THE IAF AND PROCEEDED TO THE ARPT VISUALLY AND CANCELED OUR IFR FLT PLAN WHILE STILL IN THE AIR. WE REALIZED LATER THAT WE SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED THE VISUAL APCH AND NOT THE INST APCH PROC OR CHANGE DESTS IF WX WERE CLOSE TO MINIMUMS. WHILE NO HARM WAS DONE; ANALYZING THIS POSSIBLY DANGEROUS SITUATION; I CAME TO CONCLUSION THAT SEVERAL AREAS NEED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FUTURE: 1) AFD SHOULD MENTION ABOUT NIGHT IFR PROCS 'NA' IN ARPT NOTES (IT IS ONLY SMALL PRINT ON THE APCH PLATE). 2) THE APCH CTL SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT THIS PROC IS NOT AVAILABLE AT NIGHT.

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.