Narrative:

On the buzzy 6 arrival into rdu. The current ATIS was 1 SM visibility; 400 ft overcast. We briefed the ILS runway 23R for landing. Crossing the buzzy intersection (37 DME from rdu) we could see the airport and runway lights. During the flight; I had received multiple ATIS's; each one showed improvement in visibility and ceiling. Crossing buzzy; it made sense that the airport had improved more from the report on the current ATIS. Approximately 10 mi out; approach turned us downwind for runway 23R. The runway was in sight at all times. Approximately 9 DME approach gave me a base turn and told me to descend to 2200 ft. When leveling off at 2200 ft; approach gave me a heading for bodly (FAF) and told me to join the localizer from that heading. I was very close to bodly at this time. Approach advised us we could not execute a CAT ii approach due some equipment on the field (lack thereof). We advised them we had the runway in sight. Approach said to contact the tower. We called tower and told them we had the runway in sight. Tower cleared us to land. We had the runway in sight with normal maneuvers for landing throughout the entire process. I do not know exactly where the RVR readouts were read to us. Somewhere between our descent on base and localizer intercept. I was not that concerned with the RVR broadcasts because I had been looking at the runway for the last 15-20 mins. It felt like approach was vectoring us for a visual approach. They were bringing us in close to the airport for a turn to final. Another air carrier was on approach behind us. They went around. That is when the captain and I realized we may have been in the wrong. Next time I will be more diligent to research required visibility for an approach even if I can see the runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 ON APCH TO RDU WAS GIVEN RVR BELOW MINIMUMS; BUT THEY HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT SO THEY LANDED.

Narrative: ON THE BUZZY 6 ARR INTO RDU. THE CURRENT ATIS WAS 1 SM VISIBILITY; 400 FT OVCST. WE BRIEFED THE ILS RWY 23R FOR LNDG. XING THE BUZZY INTXN (37 DME FROM RDU) WE COULD SEE THE ARPT AND RWY LIGHTS. DURING THE FLT; I HAD RECEIVED MULTIPLE ATIS'S; EACH ONE SHOWED IMPROVEMENT IN VISIBILITY AND CEILING. XING BUZZY; IT MADE SENSE THAT THE ARPT HAD IMPROVED MORE FROM THE RPT ON THE CURRENT ATIS. APPROX 10 MI OUT; APCH TURNED US DOWNWIND FOR RWY 23R. THE RWY WAS IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES. APPROX 9 DME APCH GAVE ME A BASE TURN AND TOLD ME TO DSND TO 2200 FT. WHEN LEVELING OFF AT 2200 FT; APCH GAVE ME A HDG FOR BODLY (FAF) AND TOLD ME TO JOIN THE LOC FROM THAT HDG. I WAS VERY CLOSE TO BODLY AT THIS TIME. APCH ADVISED US WE COULD NOT EXECUTE A CAT II APCH DUE SOME EQUIP ON THE FIELD (LACK THEREOF). WE ADVISED THEM WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. APCH SAID TO CONTACT THE TWR. WE CALLED TWR AND TOLD THEM WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. TWR CLRED US TO LAND. WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT WITH NORMAL MANEUVERS FOR LNDG THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS. I DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE RVR READOUTS WERE READ TO US. SOMEWHERE BTWN OUR DSCNT ON BASE AND LOC INTERCEPT. I WAS NOT THAT CONCERNED WITH THE RVR BROADCASTS BECAUSE I HAD BEEN LOOKING AT THE RWY FOR THE LAST 15-20 MINS. IT FELT LIKE APCH WAS VECTORING US FOR A VISUAL APCH. THEY WERE BRINGING US IN CLOSE TO THE ARPT FOR A TURN TO FINAL. ANOTHER ACR WAS ON APCH BEHIND US. THEY WENT AROUND. THAT IS WHEN THE CAPT AND I REALIZED WE MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE WRONG. NEXT TIME I WILL BE MORE DILIGENT TO RESEARCH REQUIRED VISIBILITY FOR AN APCH EVEN IF I CAN SEE THE RWY.

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.