Narrative:

Flight departed lga at approximately xx am local time and arrived in bdl area about xx:20 am. WX at bdl was reported as 1000 ovc, 1 1/2 F. Runway 6/24, the primary instrument runway, was notamed OTS. We had planned to use the ILS 33, but with the southerly winds (190/11 KTS), runway 15 was in use for departures and bdl approach told an aircraft ahead of us that there would be a long delay for the ILS 33. Another aircraft ahead of us reported a missed approach on the VOR 15 approach (minimums of 1080-2 3/4 for class C). Bdl approach told us to expect the VOR 24 circle to land runway 15 (minimums 680-1/12) and asked if that met our minimums. We answered yes and continued. The aircraft was relatively light at 103,500 pounds, so the approach speed was only 120 KTS. Approach confign was established early and the entire approach went very smoothly. We broke out about 1000' MSL and could see the airport about 2 mi out. The remainder of the approach and the landing were uneventful. The only problem is that we are not authority/authorized by our operations specifications for circling approachs in IMC. The mistake occurred because we are authority/authorized for circling approachs when the WX is better than 1000-3. And, in fact, the operations specifications state that we are authority/authorized for circling approachs wnen the WX is less than 1000-3 if the PIC has satisfactorily completed the approved training program for the circling maneuver. However, we have no such program, therefore, the approach procedure is not authority/authorized. When I accepted the approach into bdl, I did so believing that we were authority/authorized for it. We had been on duty about 12 hours, and for me it was the third such day in a series of flts. Both the first officer and I knew that we are authority/authorized for circling approachs, but apparently fatigue caused us to forget the VFR requirement. We so rarely do any approach in IMC other than a full ILS that we immediately focused on the mechanics of the approach. It wasn't until we were taxiing in to the gate that I began to question what we had done. The best cure for this problem is alot more time spent studying the flight operations manual, especially the operations specifications.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLT CREW IN FRT OPERATION CONDUCT CIRCLING APCH BELOW MINIMA SPECIFIED IN COMPANY OPERATIONS SPECIFICATIONS.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED LGA AT APPROX XX AM LCL TIME AND ARRIVED IN BDL AREA ABOUT XX:20 AM. WX AT BDL WAS RPTED AS 1000 OVC, 1 1/2 F. RWY 6/24, THE PRIMARY INSTRUMENT RWY, WAS NOTAMED OTS. WE HAD PLANNED TO USE THE ILS 33, BUT WITH THE SOUTHERLY WINDS (190/11 KTS), RWY 15 WAS IN USE FOR DEPS AND BDL APCH TOLD AN ACFT AHEAD OF US THAT THERE WOULD BE A LONG DELAY FOR THE ILS 33. ANOTHER ACFT AHEAD OF US RPTED A MISSED APCH ON THE VOR 15 APCH (MINIMUMS OF 1080-2 3/4 FOR CLASS C). BDL APCH TOLD US TO EXPECT THE VOR 24 CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 15 (MINIMUMS 680-1/12) AND ASKED IF THAT MET OUR MINIMUMS. WE ANSWERED YES AND CONTINUED. THE ACFT WAS RELATIVELY LIGHT AT 103,500 LBS, SO THE APCH SPD WAS ONLY 120 KTS. APCH CONFIGN WAS ESTABLISHED EARLY AND THE ENTIRE APCH WENT VERY SMOOTHLY. WE BROKE OUT ABOUT 1000' MSL AND COULD SEE THE ARPT ABOUT 2 MI OUT. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND THE LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. THE ONLY PROB IS THAT WE ARE NOT AUTH BY OUR OPS SPECS FOR CIRCLING APCHS IN IMC. THE MISTAKE OCCURRED BECAUSE WE ARE AUTH FOR CIRCLING APCHS WHEN THE WX IS BETTER THAN 1000-3. AND, IN FACT, THE OPS SPECS STATE THAT WE ARE AUTH FOR CIRCLING APCHS WNEN THE WX IS LESS THAN 1000-3 IF THE PIC HAS SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED THE APPROVED TRNING PROGRAM FOR THE CIRCLING MANEUVER. HOWEVER, WE HAVE NO SUCH PROGRAM, THEREFORE, THE APCH PROC IS NOT AUTH. WHEN I ACCEPTED THE APCH INTO BDL, I DID SO BELIEVING THAT WE WERE AUTH FOR IT. WE HAD BEEN ON DUTY ABOUT 12 HRS, AND FOR ME IT WAS THE THIRD SUCH DAY IN A SERIES OF FLTS. BOTH THE F/O AND I KNEW THAT WE ARE AUTH FOR CIRCLING APCHS, BUT APPARENTLY FATIGUE CAUSED US TO FORGET THE VFR REQUIREMENT. WE SO RARELY DO ANY APCH IN IMC OTHER THAN A FULL ILS THAT WE IMMEDIATELY FOCUSED ON THE MECHS OF THE APCH. IT WASN'T UNTIL WE WERE TAXIING IN TO THE GATE THAT I BEGAN TO QUESTION WHAT WE HAD DONE. THE BEST CURE FOR THIS PROB IS ALOT MORE TIME SPENT STUDYING THE FLT OPS MANUAL, ESPECIALLY THE OPS SPECS.

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.