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Small transport twin makes approach with visibility not meeting approach requirements. Too high to land, he circles east for landing. Approach chart note stated that a circle to the east was not authority/authorized due to high ground.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 363593 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199703 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rut |
| State Reference | VT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 1700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual approach : circling |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 363593 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
Approach to rutland (rut) lda runway 19. Conditions close to minimum. 2 aircraft had just successfully executed the approach. However, one of them stated the visibility was 1 1/4 mi. (Minimum for approach is 3 mi.) I decided to shoot the approach anyway. I'm familiar with airport and surrounding area. After descent to MDA, we broke out with visibility 1-3 mi. Runway was very difficult to see because it was covered with snow, and blended into surrounding countryside. By the time I spotted it, we were over threshold and far too high for a straight-in landing. I elected to circle, making left traffic for runway 19. However, the approach plate specifies circling to the east is not authority/authorized due to high terrain. The landing was normal, except for poor braking action. Obviously, I should have checked the approach plate for circling restrs. It may be a good idea for instructors to emphasize that snow-covered airports are often difficult to pick out, especially in haze or precipitation. So even if you have the minimum visibility, you might not see the runway as soon as you expect.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMT TWIN MAKES APCH WITH VISIBILITY NOT MEETING APCH REQUIREMENTS. TOO HIGH TO LAND, HE CIRCLES E FOR LNDG. APCH CHART NOTE STATED THAT A CIRCLE TO THE E WAS NOT AUTH DUE TO HIGH GND.
Narrative: APCH TO RUTLAND (RUT) LDA RWY 19. CONDITIONS CLOSE TO MINIMUM. 2 ACFT HAD JUST SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED THE APCH. HOWEVER, ONE OF THEM STATED THE VISIBILITY WAS 1 1/4 MI. (MINIMUM FOR APCH IS 3 MI.) I DECIDED TO SHOOT THE APCH ANYWAY. I'M FAMILIAR WITH ARPT AND SURROUNDING AREA. AFTER DSCNT TO MDA, WE BROKE OUT WITH VISIBILITY 1-3 MI. RWY WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE BECAUSE IT WAS COVERED WITH SNOW, AND BLENDED INTO SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE. BY THE TIME I SPOTTED IT, WE WERE OVER THRESHOLD AND FAR TOO HIGH FOR A STRAIGHT-IN LNDG. I ELECTED TO CIRCLE, MAKING L TFC FOR RWY 19. HOWEVER, THE APCH PLATE SPECIFIES CIRCLING TO THE E IS NOT AUTH DUE TO HIGH TERRAIN. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL, EXCEPT FOR POOR BRAKING ACTION. OBVIOUSLY, I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE APCH PLATE FOR CIRCLING RESTRS. IT MAY BE A GOOD IDEA FOR INSTRUCTORS TO EMPHASIZE THAT SNOW-COVERED ARPTS ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO PICK OUT, ESPECIALLY IN HAZE OR PRECIPITATION. SO EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE MINIMUM VISIBILITY, YOU MIGHT NOT SEE THE RWY AS SOON AS YOU EXPECT.
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.