C525 flight crew unable to obtain vectors to hnd proceeds to las.

Attributes
ACN	609044
Time
Date	200402
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bld.vortac
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citationjet, C525/C526
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 11400 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	609044
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to alternate flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Airport ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Las approach refused vectors to visual at hnd (our filed destination). When asked our intentions, I elected to proceed to our filed alternate of las, which required an ILS. Ceiling and visibility were lower at las than at hnd. We were unable to see hnd from the las runway 25L ILS course, but could see that it was much better there. Approach asked us to call the supervisor, who was saying I should have filed to las originally, not hnd since I was disrupting their traffic flow with the WX that low. My briefing with WX service had provided an area forecast of after XA00 4000-5000 ft broken, visibility 5 mi in light rain. While las forecast 5 mi visibility with 800 ft broken, 1500 ft overcast (which was good as an alternate) lsv's forecast was visibility greater than 6 mi with a ceiling of 3000 ft. Hnd was reporting VFR and I saw no problem in getting in there visually with vectors as I had done 2 days before. I thought the WX was improving based on the lsv forecast. I was surprised when approach had no time for vectors, so I could at least attempt a contact approach. In over 2 decades of flying into the las vegas area, very occasionally, I had never seen the WX like this there. I regret causing a problem for approach, and in the future should file into las, then cancel to land at hnd if in sight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C525 FLT CREW UNABLE TO OBTAIN VECTORS TO HND PROCEEDS TO LAS.

Narrative: LAS APCH REFUSED VECTORS TO VISUAL AT HND (OUR FILED DEST). WHEN ASKED OUR INTENTIONS, I ELECTED TO PROCEED TO OUR FILED ALTERNATE OF LAS, WHICH REQUIRED AN ILS. CEILING AND VISIBILITY WERE LOWER AT LAS THAN AT HND. WE WERE UNABLE TO SEE HND FROM THE LAS RWY 25L ILS COURSE, BUT COULD SEE THAT IT WAS MUCH BETTER THERE. APCH ASKED US TO CALL THE SUPVR, WHO WAS SAYING I SHOULD HAVE FILED TO LAS ORIGINALLY, NOT HND SINCE I WAS DISRUPTING THEIR TFC FLOW WITH THE WX THAT LOW. MY BRIEFING WITH WX SVC HAD PROVIDED AN AREA FORECAST OF AFTER XA00 4000-5000 FT BROKEN, VISIBILITY 5 MI IN LIGHT RAIN. WHILE LAS FORECAST 5 MI VISIBILITY WITH 800 FT BROKEN, 1500 FT OVCST (WHICH WAS GOOD AS AN ALTERNATE) LSV'S FORECAST WAS VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 6 MI WITH A CEILING OF 3000 FT. HND WAS RPTING VFR AND I SAW NO PROB IN GETTING IN THERE VISUALLY WITH VECTORS AS I HAD DONE 2 DAYS BEFORE. I THOUGHT THE WX WAS IMPROVING BASED ON THE LSV FORECAST. I WAS SURPRISED WHEN APCH HAD NO TIME FOR VECTORS, SO I COULD AT LEAST ATTEMPT A CONTACT APCH. IN OVER 2 DECADES OF FLYING INTO THE LAS VEGAS AREA, VERY OCCASIONALLY, I HAD NEVER SEEN THE WX LIKE THIS THERE. I REGRET CAUSING A PROB FOR APCH, AND IN THE FUTURE SHOULD FILE INTO LAS, THEN CANCEL TO LAND AT HND IF IN SIGHT.

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.