Narrative:

I signed my student off on his first solo cross country to ukiah, ca. The WX was above VFR and forecast to be above VFR for his entire flight. However, on final phase to landing here at ccr, he was advised by the tower that the airport had just gone IFR due to visibility falling to 2 mi in haze. The tower then gave him the new ATIS information and asked him to state his intentions. At the same time, I was in another airplane with another student and heard the conversation between him and the tower. I immediately jumped on the frequency and instructed the tower that he was a student pilot and that he needed a 'special VFR' clearance. The tower then, once again, asked him to state his intentions. He had obviously heard my transmission and proceeded to request a special VFR into ccr. The tower gave him the clearance and he landed without any further problems. I realize that instructing my student to land with a special VFR clearance was in violation with far 61.89 (a)(6), specifying at least 3 mi visibility for student pilots. I made a decision that I felt was in my student's best interest under the circumstances.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI URGES HER STUDENT TO REQUEST A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC TO LAND AT CCR.

Narrative: I SIGNED MY STUDENT OFF ON HIS FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY TO UKIAH, CA. THE WX WAS ABOVE VFR AND FORECAST TO BE ABOVE VFR FOR HIS ENTIRE FLT. HOWEVER, ON FINAL PHASE TO LNDG HERE AT CCR, HE WAS ADVISED BY THE TWR THAT THE ARPT HAD JUST GONE IFR DUE TO VISIBILITY FALLING TO 2 MI IN HAZE. THE TWR THEN GAVE HIM THE NEW ATIS INFO AND ASKED HIM TO STATE HIS INTENTIONS. AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS IN ANOTHER AIRPLANE WITH ANOTHER STUDENT AND HEARD THE CONVERSATION BTWN HIM AND THE TWR. I IMMEDIATELY JUMPED ON THE FREQ AND INSTRUCTED THE TWR THAT HE WAS A STUDENT PLT AND THAT HE NEEDED A 'SPECIAL VFR' CLRNC. THE TWR THEN, ONCE AGAIN, ASKED HIM TO STATE HIS INTENTIONS. HE HAD OBVIOUSLY HEARD MY XMISSION AND PROCEEDED TO REQUEST A SPECIAL VFR INTO CCR. THE TWR GAVE HIM THE CLRNC AND HE LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBS. I REALIZE THAT INSTRUCTING MY STUDENT TO LAND WITH A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC WAS IN VIOLATION WITH FAR 61.89 (A)(6), SPECIFYING AT LEAST 3 MI VISIBILITY FOR STUDENT PLTS. I MADE A DECISION THAT I FELT WAS IN MY STUDENT'S BEST INTEREST UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

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.