Below minimum approach.

Attributes
ACN	138959
Time
Date	199003
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : buf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 204 flight time total : 5700 flight time type : 1044
ASRS Report	138959
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our flight was inbound to buf at 0000L on 3/90, the ATIS said the RVR for the ILS to 23 was T/D RVR 1600, rollout RVR 2000. The RVR required for the ILS was 1800. The captain and first officer agreed that the approach could not be flown. The first officer produced a local produced handout which said T/D RVR was controling. The captain agreed and the flight went into holding at the IAF. A company flight inbound to the same airport stated that they could fly the approach. Both flts went to company frequency and the inbound flight read out of the company operations manual that other RVR's could replace the T/D RVR. Our flight then shot the approach, went missed approach, and went to our alternate. While diverting, the captain read in the company operations manual that T/D RVR was controling . The other flight had not been reading from the appropriate category ILS requirements.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BELOW MINIMUM APCH.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS INBND TO BUF AT 0000L ON 3/90, THE ATIS SAID THE RVR FOR THE ILS TO 23 WAS T/D RVR 1600, ROLLOUT RVR 2000. THE RVR REQUIRED FOR THE ILS WAS 1800. THE CAPT AND F/O AGREED THAT THE APCH COULD NOT BE FLOWN. THE F/O PRODUCED A LOCAL PRODUCED HANDOUT WHICH SAID T/D RVR WAS CTLING. THE CAPT AGREED AND THE FLT WENT INTO HOLDING AT THE IAF. A COMPANY FLT INBND TO THE SAME ARPT STATED THAT THEY COULD FLY THE APCH. BOTH FLTS WENT TO COMPANY FREQ AND THE INBND FLT READ OUT OF THE COMPANY OPS MANUAL THAT OTHER RVR'S COULD REPLACE THE T/D RVR. OUR FLT THEN SHOT THE APCH, WENT MISSED APCH, AND WENT TO OUR ALTERNATE. WHILE DIVERTING, THE CAPT READ IN THE COMPANY OPS MANUAL THAT T/D RVR WAS CTLING . THE OTHER FLT HAD NOT BEEN READING FROM THE APPROPRIATE CATEGORY ILS REQUIREMENTS.

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