Flight crew is required to use captain's authority/authorized to continue approach below minimums at...

Attributes
ACN	570660
Time
Date	200301
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw.airport
State Reference	IL
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc tracon : c90.tracon tracon : ind.tracon tower : ind.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 208 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	570660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : transmission meter aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauge other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to alternate flight crew : executed missed approach flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was scheduled from ewr to mdw and was given holding at an arrival fix due to low visibility. Contact was made with dispatch and advised them of hold. Alternate was switched from dtw to ind to allow longer hold. Ind visibility was 2 1/2 mi. We were within 5 min of agreed upon time with dispatch to divert to our altitude, when mdw approach started to vector us for an ILS approach. Approach was unsuccessful due to low ceiling at mdw. After recontacting mdw approach during miss, we asked for vectors to our alternate ind and advised atl we would be minimum fuel upon arrival at ind. After being cleared ILS approach by ind approach control, and switching to tower, tower advised that RVR was 2200 ft. Minimum published for approach was 2400 ft. We were at about the final fix, GS was captured to the best of my recollection. I advised tower that we were continuing the approach. Tower later advised the RVR was lower (1800-2000 ft). Clear runway was sighted at about 500-600 ft AGL. Unsure of when ind tower gave initial 2200 ft RVR call, before or after final fix. I was continuing approach regardless, because of fuel status, and we were at our altitude. During vectoring by mdw approach, I was advised of RVR, never ceiling ht. I should have inquired of what ceiling estimate was.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC IS REQUIRED TO USE CAPT'S AUTH TO CONTINUE APCH BELOW MINIMUMS AT KIND.

Narrative: FLT WAS SCHEDULED FROM EWR TO MDW AND WAS GIVEN HOLDING AT AN ARR FIX DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY. CONTACT WAS MADE WITH DISPATCH AND ADVISED THEM OF HOLD. ALTERNATE WAS SWITCHED FROM DTW TO IND TO ALLOW LONGER HOLD. IND VISIBILITY WAS 2 1/2 MI. WE WERE WITHIN 5 MIN OF AGREED UPON TIME WITH DISPATCH TO DIVERT TO OUR ALT, WHEN MDW APCH STARTED TO VECTOR US FOR AN ILS APCH. APCH WAS UNSUCCESSFUL DUE TO LOW CEILING AT MDW. AFTER RECONTACTING MDW APCH DURING MISS, WE ASKED FOR VECTORS TO OUR ALTERNATE IND AND ADVISED ATL WE WOULD BE MINIMUM FUEL UPON ARR AT IND. AFTER BEING CLRED ILS APCH BY IND APCH CTL, AND SWITCHING TO TWR, TWR ADVISED THAT RVR WAS 2200 FT. MINIMUM PUBLISHED FOR APCH WAS 2400 FT. WE WERE AT ABOUT THE FINAL FIX, GS WAS CAPTURED TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION. I ADVISED TWR THAT WE WERE CONTINUING THE APCH. TWR LATER ADVISED THE RVR WAS LOWER (1800-2000 FT). CLR RWY WAS SIGHTED AT ABOUT 500-600 FT AGL. UNSURE OF WHEN IND TWR GAVE INITIAL 2200 FT RVR CALL, BEFORE OR AFTER FINAL FIX. I WAS CONTINUING APCH REGARDLESS, BECAUSE OF FUEL STATUS, AND WE WERE AT OUR ALT. DURING VECTORING BY MDW APCH, I WAS ADVISED OF RVR, NEVER CEILING HT. I SHOULD HAVE INQUIRED OF WHAT CEILING ESTIMATE WAS.

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.

Flight crew is required to use captain's authority/authorized to continue approach below minimums at kind.