Narrative:

I was en route to my destination airport and I was just handed off from the ARTCC (controller name) to center (washington). I was given the WX for my destination airport followed by radar vectors for the ILS approach into rocky mount airport. I heard our competition air carrier ahead of me on the approach into rocky mount. I began to set up for the approach and everything seemed normal except the #1 and #2 navigation heads moved erratically. I thought it was because I was still too far from the localizer. Our competition air carrier got in ok and then I was cleared for the approach. As I began my descent, the navigation needles became erratic again and I immediately went missed approach. I advised FSS and then told center that my navigation radios were not working properly. I asked for an sar approach but center advised me that raleigh was below minimums for that approach. I knew the WX was better toward the south so I asked if new river air station could take me. They said they could take me for the PAR approach. Knowing I didn't have another option, I took the PAR approach into new river. My boss called me the next day and told me the FAA had called because I shot the approach into rocky mount when it was below minimums, and I shot the PAR approach into new river and it was not authorized in our operations specifications. I feel sure I heard center tell me the visibility was 5/8 not 3/8. Also, since our competition carrier shot the approach and made it in just before me, I saw no reason to believe it was below minimums. After going missed approach and advising center that my navigation radios were inoperative, I thought there was no doubt I was in an emergency situation and the controller was aware of this, especially since he told me he was giving no special handling. Supplemental information from acn 231298: on approach into rwi, ZDC gave me WX that was 3 hours old. I thought he said 200 ft, 5/8 mi visibility. I called rwi FSS to get current altimeter and WX and they gave me 200 ft overcast, 5/8 mi visibility (200 ft and 1/2 mi visibility is required to shoot approach). I shot the approach and landed without any problem. I broke out at 300 ft AGL and had at least 1/2 mi visibility. LORAN showed 6/10 mi when I had approach lighting in sight. On departure, I had to wait for an air carrier aviation airplane on the approach, he went missed and informed rwi FSS that his GS was inoperative and he diverted to another airport. I have since found out that ZDC declared an emergency for the pilot and is citing him for starting the approach below minimums. ZDC says they reported the WX as 200 ft overcast, 3/8 mi visibility. The pilot says they told him 200 ft and 5/8, the same WX rwi FSS gave to me. On every occasion when center or approach gave me WX that was below minimums, they would then say 'say your intentions.' ZDC didn't say it this time, and did not give me any other challenge (I think because WX was above minimums). To correct this situation center should update its WX from the reporting station more often, and if there's any doubt, should prompt the pilot like they usually do.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL ATX ACFT STARTED AN INST APCH WHEN THE WX WAS BELOW AUTHORIZED MINIMUMS.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE TO MY DEST ARPT AND I WAS JUST HANDED OFF FROM THE ARTCC (CTLR NAME) TO CTR (WASHINGTON). I WAS GIVEN THE WX FOR MY DEST ARPT FOLLOWED BY RADAR VECTORS FOR THE ILS APCH INTO ROCKY MOUNT ARPT. I HEARD OUR COMPETITION ACR AHEAD OF ME ON THE APCH INTO ROCKY MOUNT. I BEGAN TO SET UP FOR THE APCH AND EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL EXCEPT THE #1 AND #2 NAV HEADS MOVED ERRATICALLY. I THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS STILL TOO FAR FROM THE LOC. OUR COMPETITION ACR GOT IN OK AND THEN I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH. AS I BEGAN MY DSCNT, THE NAV NEEDLES BECAME ERRATIC AGAIN AND I IMMEDIATELY WENT MISSED APCH. I ADVISED FSS AND THEN TOLD CTR THAT MY NAV RADIOS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I ASKED FOR AN SAR APCH BUT CTR ADVISED ME THAT RALEIGH WAS BELOW MINIMUMS FOR THAT APCH. I KNEW THE WX WAS BETTER TOWARD THE S SO I ASKED IF NEW RIVER AIR STATION COULD TAKE ME. THEY SAID THEY COULD TAKE ME FOR THE PAR APCH. KNOWING I DIDN'T HAVE ANOTHER OPTION, I TOOK THE PAR APCH INTO NEW RIVER. MY BOSS CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD ME THE FAA HAD CALLED BECAUSE I SHOT THE APCH INTO ROCKY MOUNT WHEN IT WAS BELOW MINIMUMS, AND I SHOT THE PAR APCH INTO NEW RIVER AND IT WAS NOT AUTHORIZED IN OUR OPS SPECS. I FEEL SURE I HEARD CTR TELL ME THE VISIBILITY WAS 5/8 NOT 3/8. ALSO, SINCE OUR COMPETITION CARRIER SHOT THE APCH AND MADE IT IN JUST BEFORE ME, I SAW NO REASON TO BELIEVE IT WAS BELOW MINIMUMS. AFTER GOING MISSED APCH AND ADVISING CTR THAT MY NAV RADIOS WERE INOP, I THOUGHT THERE WAS NO DOUBT I WAS IN AN EMER SIT AND THE CTLR WAS AWARE OF THIS, ESPECIALLY SINCE HE TOLD ME HE WAS GIVING NO SPECIAL HANDLING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 231298: ON APCH INTO RWI, ZDC GAVE ME WX THAT WAS 3 HRS OLD. I THOUGHT HE SAID 200 FT, 5/8 MI VISIBILITY. I CALLED RWI FSS TO GET CURRENT ALTIMETER AND WX AND THEY GAVE ME 200 FT OVCST, 5/8 MI VISIBILITY (200 FT AND 1/2 MI VISIBILITY IS REQUIRED TO SHOOT APCH). I SHOT THE APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT ANY PROB. I BROKE OUT AT 300 FT AGL AND HAD AT LEAST 1/2 MI VISIBILITY. LORAN SHOWED 6/10 MI WHEN I HAD APCH LIGHTING IN SIGHT. ON DEP, I HAD TO WAIT FOR AN ACR AVIATION AIRPLANE ON THE APCH, HE WENT MISSED AND INFORMED RWI FSS THAT HIS GS WAS INOP AND HE DIVERTED TO ANOTHER ARPT. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT ZDC DECLARED AN EMER FOR THE PLT AND IS CITING HIM FOR STARTING THE APCH BELOW MINIMUMS. ZDC SAYS THEY RPTED THE WX AS 200 FT OVCST, 3/8 MI VISIBILITY. THE PLT SAYS THEY TOLD HIM 200 FT AND 5/8, THE SAME WX RWI FSS GAVE TO ME. ON EVERY OCCASION WHEN CTR OR APCH GAVE ME WX THAT WAS BELOW MINIMUMS, THEY WOULD THEN SAY 'SAY YOUR INTENTIONS.' ZDC DIDN'T SAY IT THIS TIME, AND DID NOT GIVE ME ANY OTHER CHALLENGE (I THINK BECAUSE WX WAS ABOVE MINIMUMS). TO CORRECT THIS SIT CTR SHOULD UPDATE ITS WX FROM THE RPTING STATION MORE OFTEN, AND IF THERE'S ANY DOUBT, SHOULD PROMPT THE PLT LIKE THEY USUALLY DO.

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.