RVR reported below landing minimums before the aircraft was established on the final approach course...

Attributes
ACN	81183
Time
Date	198801
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	81183
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Inbound to airport ATIS was reporting conditions well above minimums. As we were being radar vectored for the ILS 36 at dca, approach control began reporting RVR's. Upon receiving intercept vector we were given an RVR touchdown of 1200, rollout first officer 3500 and then clrd for the approach. I questioned the captain, he was obviously thinking about the situation, but said nothing. We continued the approach. It was apparent that an aircraft was landing in front of us and another being turned on the approach behind us. We were handed off to tower who reported the same RVR's and clrd us to land. We broke out well above minimums with the airport well in sight. A thin fog bank was at the approach end of the runway, accounting for the low touchdown RVR, but prevailing visibility was at least 2 mi. We landed with no problems. Captain stated that dca recognized the nature of the local condition and no need to worry. Technically, we were wrong to land, but no intent of any regulation was violated. Something must be clarified to allow such activity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RVR REPORTED BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS BEFORE THE ACFT WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE.

Narrative: INBND TO ARPT ATIS WAS REPORTING CONDITIONS WELL ABOVE MINIMUMS. AS WE WERE BEING RADAR VECTORED FOR THE ILS 36 AT DCA, APCH CTL BEGAN REPORTING RVR'S. UPON RECEIVING INTERCEPT VECTOR WE WERE GIVEN AN RVR TOUCHDOWN OF 1200, ROLLOUT FO 3500 AND THEN CLRD FOR THE APCH. I QUESTIONED THE CAPT, HE WAS OBVIOUSLY THINKING ABOUT THE SITUATION, BUT SAID NOTHING. WE CONTINUED THE APCH. IT WAS APPARENT THAT AN ACFT WAS LNDG IN FRONT OF US AND ANOTHER BEING TURNED ON THE APCH BEHIND US. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO TWR WHO RPTED THE SAME RVR'S AND CLRD US TO LAND. WE BROKE OUT WELL ABOVE MINIMUMS WITH THE ARPT WELL IN SIGHT. A THIN FOG BANK WAS AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY, ACCOUNTING FOR THE LOW TOUCHDOWN RVR, BUT PREVAILING VIS WAS AT LEAST 2 MI. WE LANDED WITH NO PROBS. CAPT STATED THAT DCA RECOGNIZED THE NATURE OF THE LCL CONDITION AND NO NEED TO WORRY. TECHNICALLY, WE WERE WRONG TO LAND, BUT NO INTENT OF ANY REG WAS VIOLATED. SOMETHING MUST BE CLARIFIED TO ALLOW SUCH ACTIVITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.