Reporter captain on high minimums fears he may have flown approach with WX below his minimums.

Attributes
ACN	233204
Time
Date	199302
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mci
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci tower : rdu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : straight in approach : circling
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	233204
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I am a restr captain for the first 100 hours in the left seat. My minimums are increased by 100 ft and 1/2 mi visibility. For this approach my minimums are 300 ft and 4500 RVR. The WX at the time I was over the OM was '-X 3/8F 211/30/30/0805/013/rvr19vr60 plus F4 tower visibility 3.' the fog laid right up to the end of the runway. As I entered the fog at approximately 600 AGL you could see all of runway for 19 except for the numbers of runway 19 and the rest of the airport. I executed a missed approach and when I broke out on top again, the tower instructions were to maintain runway heading and climb to 3000 ft. As I was climbing out, I asked the tower what the visibility was because I could see the full length of runway 9-27 and beyond. The tower said the tower visibility was 3 mi. I requested clearance for circling approach to runway 9, company requires 3 mi visibility to circle. I circled to the southwest keeping the airport in sight at all times, and landed on runway 9 visually. I pulled up the WX sequences for the last 12 hours after I got on the ground. The WX was as I stated above. I now questioned whether, in this situation, the 3/8F in the sequence applied or the tower visibility of 3 mi and having the runway and the airport in sight at 3000 ft MSL during the circle to land. I will research this with our ATC person to find out. My understanding is that the 3/8F would apply to runway 19 since the RVR for that runway was also given for that runway. I will also try to find out where and how the 3/8 was determined. If you have any input, please let me know. The other question I have is, when the RVR is given as 6000 plus, does this mean that the RVR meter cannot read past 6000 ft, and the 3/8 in the sequence spc visibility is given in conjunction with the RVR for that runway? As a footnote: while on approximately 3 mi final and landing I had the full length of runway 9 in view at all times, this is why I question the 3/8F. The tower had me in sight during the complete circling and landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CAPT ON HIGH MINIMUMS FEARS HE MAY HAVE FLOWN APCH WITH WX BELOW HIS MINIMUMS.

Narrative: I AM A RESTR CAPT FOR THE FIRST 100 HRS IN THE L SEAT. MY MINIMUMS ARE INCREASED BY 100 FT AND 1/2 MI VISIBILITY. FOR THIS APCH MY MINIMUMS ARE 300 FT AND 4500 RVR. THE WX AT THE TIME I WAS OVER THE OM WAS '-X 3/8F 211/30/30/0805/013/RVR19VR60 PLUS F4 TWR VISIBILITY 3.' THE FOG LAID RIGHT UP TO THE END OF THE RWY. AS I ENTERED THE FOG AT APPROX 600 AGL YOU COULD SEE ALL OF RWY FOR 19 EXCEPT FOR THE NUMBERS OF RWY 19 AND THE REST OF THE ARPT. I EXECUTED A MISSED APCH AND WHEN I BROKE OUT ON TOP AGAIN, THE TWR INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG AND CLB TO 3000 FT. AS I WAS CLBING OUT, I ASKED THE TWR WHAT THE VISIBILITY WAS BECAUSE I COULD SEE THE FULL LENGTH OF RWY 9-27 AND BEYOND. THE TWR SAID THE TWR VISIBILITY WAS 3 MI. I REQUESTED CLRNC FOR CIRCLING APCH TO RWY 9, COMPANY REQUIRES 3 MI VISIBILITY TO CIRCLE. I CIRCLED TO THE SW KEEPING THE ARPT IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES, AND LANDED ON RWY 9 VISUALLY. I PULLED UP THE WX SEQUENCES FOR THE LAST 12 HRS AFTER I GOT ON THE GND. THE WX WAS AS I STATED ABOVE. I NOW QUESTIONED WHETHER, IN THIS SIT, THE 3/8F IN THE SEQUENCE APPLIED OR THE TWR VISIBILITY OF 3 MI AND HAVING THE RWY AND THE ARPT IN SIGHT AT 3000 FT MSL DURING THE CIRCLE TO LAND. I WILL RESEARCH THIS WITH OUR ATC PERSON TO FIND OUT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE 3/8F WOULD APPLY TO RWY 19 SINCE THE RVR FOR THAT RWY WAS ALSO GIVEN FOR THAT RWY. I WILL ALSO TRY TO FIND OUT WHERE AND HOW THE 3/8 WAS DETERMINED. IF YOU HAVE ANY INPUT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, WHEN THE RVR IS GIVEN AS 6000 PLUS, DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE RVR METER CANNOT READ PAST 6000 FT, AND THE 3/8 IN THE SEQUENCE SPC VISIBILITY IS GIVEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RVR FOR THAT RWY? AS A FOOTNOTE: WHILE ON APPROX 3 MI FINAL AND LNDG I HAD THE FULL LENGTH OF RWY 9 IN VIEW AT ALL TIMES, THIS IS WHY I QUESTION THE 3/8F. THE TWR HAD ME IN SIGHT DURING THE COMPLETE CIRCLING AND LNDG.

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.