Narrative:

ATIS for ord giving 2 mi, mist, 14 broken 20 overcast. Assigned localizer approach runway 27R, GS OTS. At ebens, descended 4000 ft to 2200 ft. At taffs, descended to 1100 ft MSL (our localizer only minimums). Just prior to vdp time, saw runway 27R approach lights close below. Descended using 40 degrees flaps and activated GPWS 'sink rate' warning and was not stabilized at 500 ft AGL. However, saw runway and landed in touchdown zone achieving turnoff at reverse high speed 'right.' the actual ceiling was a ragged 400 ft AGL. The ATIS was way off, and contributed in that an appropriate sense of urgency in descending to MDA was not created. First officer was a 20 yr veteran of another airline and had about 9 yrs with this company. He was flying his last line flight before age 60. He was an excellent pilot, an old pro. I didn't immediately notice his chosen descent rate from taffs to MDA, but he used 700 FPM, not 1200 FPM as would be normal. Compounding this was ATC's request for 170 KTS to taffs. With a crosswind instead of a headwind, the ingredients for being high were in place. Add the very large gap between reported and actual ceiling and you have this result. When we both saw the runway, we agreed it was salvageable but it took an unstabilized approach to do this. I was very reluctant to add the fuel burn of a go around and second approach to an already significant overburn from the vectoring for the first approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT ON APCH TO ORD HAD TO USE THE IAP LOC DME APCH TO RWY 27R SINCE THE GS WAS OTS. CREW HAD TO COMPLETE THE APCH TO A LNDG USING A DESTABILIZED APCH SINCE THEY WERE HIGH AT THE VISUAL DSCNT POINT. PIC COMPLAINED OF AN ATIS BROADCAST PROB OF INACCURATE WX RPTING.

Narrative: ATIS FOR ORD GIVING 2 MI, MIST, 14 BROKEN 20 OVCST. ASSIGNED LOC APCH RWY 27R, GS OTS. AT EBENS, DSNDED 4000 FT TO 2200 FT. AT TAFFS, DSNDED TO 1100 FT MSL (OUR LOC ONLY MINIMUMS). JUST PRIOR TO VDP TIME, SAW RWY 27R APCH LIGHTS CLOSE BELOW. DSNDED USING 40 DEGS FLAPS AND ACTIVATED GPWS 'SINK RATE' WARNING AND WAS NOT STABILIZED AT 500 FT AGL. HOWEVER, SAW RWY AND LANDED IN TOUCHDOWN ZONE ACHIEVING TURNOFF AT REVERSE HIGH SPD 'R.' THE ACTUAL CEILING WAS A RAGGED 400 FT AGL. THE ATIS WAS WAY OFF, AND CONTRIBUTED IN THAT AN APPROPRIATE SENSE OF URGENCY IN DSNDING TO MDA WAS NOT CREATED. FO WAS A 20 YR VETERAN OF ANOTHER AIRLINE AND HAD ABOUT 9 YRS WITH THIS COMPANY. HE WAS FLYING HIS LAST LINE FLT BEFORE AGE 60. HE WAS AN EXCELLENT PLT, AN OLD PRO. I DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY NOTICE HIS CHOSEN DSCNT RATE FROM TAFFS TO MDA, BUT HE USED 700 FPM, NOT 1200 FPM AS WOULD BE NORMAL. COMPOUNDING THIS WAS ATC'S REQUEST FOR 170 KTS TO TAFFS. WITH A XWIND INSTEAD OF A HEADWIND, THE INGREDIENTS FOR BEING HIGH WERE IN PLACE. ADD THE VERY LARGE GAP BTWN RPTED AND ACTUAL CEILING AND YOU HAVE THIS RESULT. WHEN WE BOTH SAW THE RWY, WE AGREED IT WAS SALVAGEABLE BUT IT TOOK AN UNSTABILIZED APCH TO DO THIS. I WAS VERY RELUCTANT TO ADD THE FUEL BURN OF A GAR AND SECOND APCH TO AN ALREADY SIGNIFICANT OVERBURN FROM THE VECTORING FOR THE FIRST APCH.

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.