Narrative:

While on final approach to runway 34 at binghamton, ny, (WX 2200 overcast 1 1/2 mi snow, executing ILS approach) aircraft ahead (small transport) by 4-5 mi landed and reported braking action poor to nil. I had never heard anyone report braking action that way (fair to good, fair to poor) but never poor to nil. Most pilots know if you report it as nil you shut the airport down. Company procedures forbid operations on nil braking action. Because he reported poor to nil not one or the other, I decided to average the poor to nil and came up with something better than nil less than poor. I landed, found braking action poor, reported it as such. Tower had vehicle go out on runway and truck reported braking action as poor. Hindsight. Should have made missed approach. Requested holding or vectors and asked tower to get a vehicle to check runway so the official braking action would be determined to be one or the other (nil or poor). I am in violation of my company's operations manual. It states any braking action report that contains word 'nil' will not be operated on. I thought it said something to the effect of absolutely nil. I was wrong. Next time I will go around, have the airport manager make the decision, not me, on a 2 mi final.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT PLT LANDS ON SNOW COVERED RWY WITH BRAKING ACTION RPTED POOR TO NIL.

Narrative: WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 34 AT BINGHAMTON, NY, (WX 2200 OVCST 1 1/2 MI SNOW, EXECUTING ILS APCH) ACFT AHEAD (SMT) BY 4-5 MI LANDED AND RPTED BRAKING ACTION POOR TO NIL. I HAD NEVER HEARD ANYONE RPT BRAKING ACTION THAT WAY (FAIR TO GOOD, FAIR TO POOR) BUT NEVER POOR TO NIL. MOST PLTS KNOW IF YOU RPT IT AS NIL YOU SHUT THE ARPT DOWN. COMPANY PROCS FORBID OPS ON NIL BRAKING ACTION. BECAUSE HE RPTED POOR TO NIL NOT ONE OR THE OTHER, I DECIDED TO AVERAGE THE POOR TO NIL AND CAME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER THAN NIL LESS THAN POOR. I LANDED, FOUND BRAKING ACTION POOR, RPTED IT AS SUCH. TWR HAD VEHICLE GO OUT ON RWY AND TRUCK RPTED BRAKING ACTION AS POOR. HINDSIGHT. SHOULD HAVE MADE MISSED APCH. REQUESTED HOLDING OR VECTORS AND ASKED TWR TO GET A VEHICLE TO CHK RWY SO THE OFFICIAL BRAKING ACTION WOULD BE DETERMINED TO BE ONE OR THE OTHER (NIL OR POOR). I AM IN VIOLATION OF MY COMPANY'S OPS MANUAL. IT STATES ANY BRAKING ACTION RPT THAT CONTAINS WORD 'NIL' WILL NOT BE OPERATED ON. I THOUGHT IT SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF ABSOLUTELY NIL. I WAS WRONG. NEXT TIME I WILL GAR, HAVE THE ARPT MGR MAKE THE DECISION, NOT ME, ON A 2 MI FINAL.

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.