A part 135 ambulance light transport pilot made an IFR approach into an airport whose tower was clos...

Attributes
ACN	233891
Time
Date	199302
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bkl
State Reference	WV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : crw
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	233891
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Problem arose due to unanticipated closure of airport. Airport is open 24 hours a day, mon-fri. Was caught unaware the airport would close at XA00 pm local time. Was on air ambulance life flight from crw to bkl. Because airport tower closed, there was no reported WX. This made the airport unavailable to us because we were operating under part 135. The approach into bkl is a good localizer approach -- can use it with great safety under part 91. But, if under part 135, it is not a safe approach! This does not make sense! This 135 requirement to have reported WX in order to fly the approach is anti-business! Any time when on an approach it is the pilot that decides if an approach is safe whether the pilot is part 135 or part 91 operation. Because this was a life flight and time was critical, we flew the approach into bkl without reported WX. There were no problems or incidents or accidents. I hope to not have any problems over this. When safety is not jeopardized, regulations need to take in fact the human side of life flight operations or business. Maybe in the future we will consider this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PART 135 AMBULANCE LTT PLT MADE AN IFR APCH INTO AN ARPT WHOSE TWR WAS CLOSED.

Narrative: PROB AROSE DUE TO UNANTICIPATED CLOSURE OF ARPT. ARPT IS OPEN 24 HRS A DAY, MON-FRI. WAS CAUGHT UNAWARE THE ARPT WOULD CLOSE AT XA00 PM LCL TIME. WAS ON AIR AMBULANCE LIFE FLT FROM CRW TO BKL. BECAUSE ARPT TWR CLOSED, THERE WAS NO RPTED WX. THIS MADE THE ARPT UNAVAILABLE TO US BECAUSE WE WERE OPERATING UNDER PART 135. THE APCH INTO BKL IS A GOOD LOC APCH -- CAN USE IT WITH GREAT SAFETY UNDER PART 91. BUT, IF UNDER PART 135, IT IS NOT A SAFE APCH! THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE! THIS 135 REQUIREMENT TO HAVE RPTED WX IN ORDER TO FLY THE APCH IS ANTI-BUSINESS! ANY TIME WHEN ON AN APCH IT IS THE PLT THAT DECIDES IF AN APCH IS SAFE WHETHER THE PLT IS PART 135 OR PART 91 OP. BECAUSE THIS WAS A LIFE FLT AND TIME WAS CRITICAL, WE FLEW THE APCH INTO BKL WITHOUT RPTED WX. THERE WERE NO PROBS OR INCIDENTS OR ACCIDENTS. I HOPE TO NOT HAVE ANY PROBS OVER THIS. WHEN SAFETY IS NOT JEOPARDIZED, REGS NEED TO TAKE IN FACT THE HUMAN SIDE OF LIFE FLT OPS OR BUSINESS. MAYBE IN THE FUTURE WE WILL CONSIDER THIS.

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.

A part 135 ambulance light transport pilot made an IFR approach into an airport whose tower was closed.