Narrative:

I was the captain of flight from pittsburg to newport news. The WX at newport news was reported at 800 broken, 2 1/2 mi in fog, 73 degrees, and the wind was 220 degrees at 6 KTS with thunderstorms north and east of the airport. The NDB approach to runway 20 was in use and runway 7/25 was closed. Due to the erratic behavior of the ADF needle, approach control was asked to confirm my position and give heading vectors for proper alignment. Runway 20 was 'in sight' well above the reported WX, however, due to my altitude and runway length, I decided to miss the approach and asked for a visual maneuver. This was confirmed. The decision to make a visual maneuver was based on the erratic behavior of the ADF needle and the actual WX versus the reported WX. The visual approach was performed in a safe manner and a normal landing was accomplished. Company operation specifications require a circling min of 1000 ft and 3 mi. The actual WX was 1000 variable 800 ft with good visibility. For reasons of safety and with good visual contact with the runway, I decided to perform a safe visual approach instead of returning to turbulent IFR conditions with an erratic ADF needle.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG MAKES A CIRCLING APCH TO PHF IN WX RPTED BELOW COMPANY CIRCLING MINS.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT OF FLT FROM PITTSBURG TO NEWPORT NEWS. THE WX AT NEWPORT NEWS WAS RPTED AT 800 BROKEN, 2 1/2 MI IN FOG, 73 DEGS, AND THE WIND WAS 220 DEGS AT 6 KTS WITH TSTMS N AND E OF THE ARPT. THE NDB APCH TO RWY 20 WAS IN USE AND RWY 7/25 WAS CLOSED. DUE TO THE ERRATIC BEHAVIOR OF THE ADF NEEDLE, APCH CTL WAS ASKED TO CONFIRM MY POS AND GIVE HDG VECTORS FOR PROPER ALIGNMENT. RWY 20 WAS 'IN SIGHT' WELL ABOVE THE RPTED WX, HOWEVER, DUE TO MY ALT AND RWY LENGTH, I DECIDED TO MISS THE APCH AND ASKED FOR A VISUAL MANEUVER. THIS WAS CONFIRMED. THE DECISION TO MAKE A VISUAL MANEUVER WAS BASED ON THE ERRATIC BEHAVIOR OF THE ADF NEEDLE AND THE ACTUAL WX VERSUS THE RPTED WX. THE VISUAL APCH WAS PERFORMED IN A SAFE MANNER AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED. COMPANY OP SPECS REQUIRE A CIRCLING MIN OF 1000 FT AND 3 MI. THE ACTUAL WX WAS 1000 VARIABLE 800 FT WITH GOOD VISIBILITY. FOR REASONS OF SAFETY AND WITH GOOD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY, I DECIDED TO PERFORM A SAFE VISUAL APCH INSTEAD OF RETURNING TO TURBULENT IFR CONDITIONS WITH AN ERRATIC ADF NEEDLE.

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.