Narrative:

I was en route between pit and eri at 17000 ft MSL. The flight was blocked at 18 mins. I proceeded with the in-range checklist and copied the current eri WX. The ATIS at eri indicated a 200 ft ceiling with RVR of 2400 ft for runway 6 (runway 5 being the active runway). The ILS runway 6 minimums at eri are RVR 4000 ft or 3/4 mi visibility. While looking at the hard copy WX taf for eri on board the aircraft, I noticed that, for my scheduled time of arrival, the main body of the forecast indicated a 1/2 mi visibility at eri with a 'tempo' indicating 3/4 mi visibility. The latest hard copy metar indicated that the visibility in eri was 3/4 mi. While reviewing all approachs at eri, I noticed the lowest suitable landing minimums required 3/4 mi visibility. We diverted to our alternate airport which was pit. Upon arrival at the gate, I phoned our dispatch control and spoke with my assigned dispatcher. He informed me that when he 'built' our flight release, the forecast at eri had indicated a visibility of greater than landing minimums. The hard copy taf I had on board the aircraft was an amended (newer) forecast. Prior to departure from pit, I failed to notice the lowest suitable landing minimums for eri. Dispatch of the aircraft required the visibility to be 3/4 mi in both the main body and 'tempo' section of the taf forecast. Noticing that eri had 2 ILS approachs, I assumed that the lowest visibility would need to be 1/2 mi. Factors that contributed to this complacent oversight were that we were running behind schedule and were receiving pressure from company dispatch to 'move' the flight as soon as possible for completion factor, fear of reprimand if we were late, and the assumption of common routine that ILS approachs require 1/2 mi visibility. Possible corrective actions: the pressure to perform or face disciplinary action increases the possibility of making inadvertent mistakes. Safety should be stressed more than on-time performance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 FLT CREW RETURN LAND WHEN THE WX AT DEST ARPT IS BELOW LNDG LIMITS FOR FLT AFTER DEP FROM PIT, PA.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE BTWN PIT AND ERI AT 17000 FT MSL. THE FLT WAS BLOCKED AT 18 MINS. I PROCEEDED WITH THE IN-RANGE CHKLIST AND COPIED THE CURRENT ERI WX. THE ATIS AT ERI INDICATED A 200 FT CEILING WITH RVR OF 2400 FT FOR RWY 6 (RWY 5 BEING THE ACTIVE RWY). THE ILS RWY 6 MINIMUMS AT ERI ARE RVR 4000 FT OR 3/4 MI VISIBILITY. WHILE LOOKING AT THE HARD COPY WX TAF FOR ERI ON BOARD THE ACFT, I NOTICED THAT, FOR MY SCHEDULED TIME OF ARR, THE MAIN BODY OF THE FORECAST INDICATED A 1/2 MI VISIBILITY AT ERI WITH A 'TEMPO' INDICATING 3/4 MI VISIBILITY. THE LATEST HARD COPY METAR INDICATED THAT THE VISIBILITY IN ERI WAS 3/4 MI. WHILE REVIEWING ALL APCHS AT ERI, I NOTICED THE LOWEST SUITABLE LNDG MINIMUMS REQUIRED 3/4 MI VISIBILITY. WE DIVERTED TO OUR ALTERNATE ARPT WHICH WAS PIT. UPON ARR AT THE GATE, I PHONED OUR DISPATCH CTL AND SPOKE WITH MY ASSIGNED DISPATCHER. HE INFORMED ME THAT WHEN HE 'BUILT' OUR FLT RELEASE, THE FORECAST AT ERI HAD INDICATED A VISIBILITY OF GREATER THAN LNDG MINIMUMS. THE HARD COPY TAF I HAD ON BOARD THE ACFT WAS AN AMENDED (NEWER) FORECAST. PRIOR TO DEP FROM PIT, I FAILED TO NOTICE THE LOWEST SUITABLE LNDG MINIMUMS FOR ERI. DISPATCH OF THE ACFT REQUIRED THE VISIBILITY TO BE 3/4 MI IN BOTH THE MAIN BODY AND 'TEMPO' SECTION OF THE TAF FORECAST. NOTICING THAT ERI HAD 2 ILS APCHS, I ASSUMED THAT THE LOWEST VISIBILITY WOULD NEED TO BE 1/2 MI. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS COMPLACENT OVERSIGHT WERE THAT WE WERE RUNNING BEHIND SCHEDULE AND WERE RECEIVING PRESSURE FROM COMPANY DISPATCH TO 'MOVE' THE FLT ASAP FOR COMPLETION FACTOR, FEAR OF REPRIMAND IF WE WERE LATE, AND THE ASSUMPTION OF COMMON ROUTINE THAT ILS APCHS REQUIRE 1/2 MI VISIBILITY. POSSIBLE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: THE PRESSURE TO PERFORM OR FACE DISCIPLINARY ACTION INCREASES THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING INADVERTENT MISTAKES. SAFETY SHOULD BE STRESSED MORE THAN ON-TIME PERFORMANCE.

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.