Narrative:

On a routine scheduled passenger flight from alp to ciu, I was the PIC and PF. I'd never been ot either airport, but the first officer had been. WX was marginal VFR at departure point alp and IMC at ciu (about 500' overcast, 1 1/2 mi visibility in last special report--forecast the same about 600' and 2 mi). Flight proceeded as planned until arriving for the approach. We were cleared direct to NDB station and told to expect to hold for traffic landing at nearby airport. Company radio stated WX was 500' overcast, 3/4 mi visibility, wind 340 at 16 KTS. The runway of intended landing was 34, but had to shoot the ILS 16 circle to land, which had 1 1/2 mi visibility required. Company was told this, and response was (new WX is 1 1/2 mi visibility), I believed they were 'stretching the truth,' but shot the ILS to circling minimums and missed. Flew missed approach and got back with toronto center which issued the following clearance, 'cleared to NDB and hold.' complied with clearance and then got cleared 'to execute the NDB 34.' we could not accept the clearance because the NDB 34 has no procedure turn on course reversal, and the initial approach fix was a VOR intersection on opp side of NDB station we were holding on. Toronto center was informed of this, and they agreed but then told us to maintain our present heading. We complied, and decided to return to alp. Informed center and got clearance to return to alp. The toronto center seemed as puzzled as we were by his clearance and our refusal to attempt his approach clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT WAS UNABLE TO ACCEPT APCH CLRNC AS ISSUED BECAUSE OF NO AVAILABLE TRANSITION ROUTE. COMPANY WX REPORTING SOMEWHAT SUSPECT.

Narrative: ON A ROUTINE SCHEDULED PAX FLT FROM ALP TO CIU, I WAS THE PIC AND PF. I'D NEVER BEEN OT EITHER ARPT, BUT THE F/O HAD BEEN. WX WAS MARGINAL VFR AT DEP POINT ALP AND IMC AT CIU (ABOUT 500' OVCST, 1 1/2 MI VISIBILITY IN LAST SPECIAL RPT--FORECAST THE SAME ABOUT 600' AND 2 MI). FLT PROCEEDED AS PLANNED UNTIL ARRIVING FOR THE APCH. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO NDB STATION AND TOLD TO EXPECT TO HOLD FOR TFC LNDG AT NEARBY ARPT. COMPANY RADIO STATED WX WAS 500' OVCST, 3/4 MI VISIBILITY, WIND 340 AT 16 KTS. THE RWY OF INTENDED LNDG WAS 34, BUT HAD TO SHOOT THE ILS 16 CIRCLE TO LAND, WHICH HAD 1 1/2 MI VISIBILITY REQUIRED. COMPANY WAS TOLD THIS, AND RESPONSE WAS (NEW WX IS 1 1/2 MI VISIBILITY), I BELIEVED THEY WERE 'STRETCHING THE TRUTH,' BUT SHOT THE ILS TO CIRCLING MINIMUMS AND MISSED. FLEW MISSED APCH AND GOT BACK WITH TORONTO CENTER WHICH ISSUED THE FOLLOWING CLRNC, 'CLRED TO NDB AND HOLD.' COMPLIED WITH CLRNC AND THEN GOT CLRED 'TO EXECUTE THE NDB 34.' WE COULD NOT ACCEPT THE CLRNC BECAUSE THE NDB 34 HAS NO PROC TURN ON COURSE REVERSAL, AND THE INITIAL APCH FIX WAS A VOR INTXN ON OPP SIDE OF NDB STATION WE WERE HOLDING ON. TORONTO CENTER WAS INFORMED OF THIS, AND THEY AGREED BUT THEN TOLD US TO MAINTAIN OUR PRESENT HDG. WE COMPLIED, AND DECIDED TO RETURN TO ALP. INFORMED CENTER AND GOT CLRNC TO RETURN TO ALP. THE TORONTO CENTER SEEMED AS PUZZLED AS WE WERE BY HIS CLRNC AND OUR REFUSAL TO ATTEMPT HIS APCH CLRNC.

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.