An light transport air carrier crew flew into some clouds after accepting a visual approach.

Attributes
ACN	248279
Time
Date	199308
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fyv
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fyv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 310 flight time total : 6900 flight time type : 310
ASRS Report	248279
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc 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:

As we approached fyv from the south, we had visual contact with the airport. We were cleared for a visual approach by drake tower. Just north of the airport, approximately 1/4 mi, was a low layer of overcast clouds. We were in a right downwind, so I didn't have contact with the airport, but the first officer said he had visual contact. He wanted to keep a very tight right base, but I wouldn't let him because of a tower just south of the VOR. We turned right base over the VOR and he called for the before landing checklist. As I finished the before landing checklist, I looked up, we were on final approach IFR. Before I could say or do anything, we broke out left of the runway and low on the approach. First officer has very low hours and was hired just to fill a seat. Air carrier has made a common practice of this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LTT ACR CREW FLEW INTO SOME CLOUDS AFTER ACCEPTING A VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: AS WE APCHED FYV FROM THE S, WE HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ARPT. WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH BY DRAKE TWR. JUST N OF THE ARPT, APPROX 1/4 MI, WAS A LOW LAYER OF OVCST CLOUDS. WE WERE IN A R DOWNWIND, SO I DIDN'T HAVE CONTACT WITH THE ARPT, BUT THE FO SAID HE HAD VISUAL CONTACT. HE WANTED TO KEEP A VERY TIGHT R BASE, BUT I WOULDN'T LET HIM BECAUSE OF A TWR JUST S OF THE VOR. WE TURNED R BASE OVER THE VOR AND HE CALLED FOR THE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST. AS I FINISHED THE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST, I LOOKED UP, WE WERE ON FINAL APCH IFR. BEFORE I COULD SAY OR DO ANYTHING, WE BROKE OUT L OF THE RWY AND LOW ON THE APCH. FO HAS VERY LOW HRS AND WAS HIRED JUST TO FILL A SEAT. ACR HAS MADE A COMMON PRACTICE OF 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.