Narrative:

The flight was operated normally from hnl to nandi, fiji. In lieu of an alternate, we carried '2 hours of island holding.' the WX was forecast to be scattered with light winds at the destination. Problem: nandi has only 1 runway available for a 747. Once you leave cruise altitude, you are committed to land at nandi. The '2 hour island holding' is insufficient to reach any alternate. The WX reporting in nandi is often unreliable. The only way to reach pago pago or noumea, both of which are about 700 mi from nandi, is to divert while still at cruise altitude. This flight was at maximum gross takeoff and landing weights. The solution is to operate at a lower zero fuel weight and state a real alternate. This way, if the WX deteriorates or the runway closes, there is a safe option. Problem #2: nandi is a non radar environment. Scattered clouds were reported when in fact, it was 1000 ft overcast with good visibility. The wind was 180 degrees 12 KTS. We were cleared for the ILS runway 02 circle to runway 20 (due to the tailwind on runway 02). The category D minimum descent altitude is 2100 ft. At 2100 ft we were IFR, so we continued the approach now using straight-in minimums of 230 ft. We broke out at 1000 ft in a ragged ceiling not being able to circle to runway 20. On short final the tower reported a wind of 170 degrees at 15 KTS, over our maximum tailwind allowable of 10 KTS. If we had sufficient fuel we at least would have had the option of an alternate, instead of busting minimums and tailwind restrictions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B-747 CARGO ACFT EXCEEDED THE LNDG TAILWIND COMPONENT.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS OPERATED NORMALLY FROM HNL TO NANDI, FIJI. IN LIEU OF AN ALTERNATE, WE CARRIED '2 HRS OF ISLAND HOLDING.' THE WX WAS FORECAST TO BE SCATTERED WITH LIGHT WINDS AT THE DEST. PROBLEM: NANDI HAS ONLY 1 RWY AVAILABLE FOR A 747. ONCE YOU LEAVE CRUISE ALT, YOU ARE COMMITTED TO LAND AT NANDI. THE '2 HR ISLAND HOLDING' IS INSUFFICIENT TO REACH ANY ALTERNATE. THE WX RPTING IN NANDI IS OFTEN UNRELIABLE. THE ONLY WAY TO REACH PAGO PAGO OR NOUMEA, BOTH OF WHICH ARE ABOUT 700 MI FROM NANDI, IS TO DIVERT WHILE STILL AT CRUISE ALT. THIS FLT WAS AT MAX GROSS TKOF AND LNDG WTS. THE SOLUTION IS TO OPERATE AT A LOWER ZERO FUEL WT AND STATE A REAL ALTERNATE. THIS WAY, IF THE WX DETERIORATES OR THE RWY CLOSES, THERE IS A SAFE OPTION. PROB #2: NANDI IS A NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT. SCATTERED CLOUDS WERE RPTED WHEN IN FACT, IT WAS 1000 FT OVCST WITH GOOD VISIBILITY. THE WIND WAS 180 DEGS 12 KTS. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 02 CIRCLE TO RWY 20 (DUE TO THE TAILWIND ON RWY 02). THE CATEGORY D MINIMUM DSCNT ALT IS 2100 FT. AT 2100 FT WE WERE IFR, SO WE CONTINUED THE APCH NOW USING STRAIGHT-IN MINIMUMS OF 230 FT. WE BROKE OUT AT 1000 FT IN A RAGGED CEILING NOT BEING ABLE TO CIRCLE TO RWY 20. ON SHORT FINAL THE TWR RPTED A WIND OF 170 DEGS AT 15 KTS, OVER OUR MAX TAILWIND ALLOWABLE OF 10 KTS. IF WE HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL WE AT LEAST WOULD HAVE HAD THE OPTION OF AN ALTERNATE, INSTEAD OF BUSTING MINIMUMS AND TAILWIND RESTRICTIONS.

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.