A B737-400 flight crew executed a visual approach to jnu at night contrary to company policy.

Attributes
ACN	703708
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jnu.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	other
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cmh.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	703708
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Flew rnp runway 26 to jnu. Broke out in good VMC at about 6500 ft. Ended up high on profile approximately 4 NM from end of runway 26. Initiated a go around per policy. Knew that we couldn't circle out of the approach; so cancelled IFR. Flew right hand traffic approach to runway 08. No one else in pattern; no problems. Knew that we couldn't cancel IFR outside of 10 miles (did a go around initiation). What I didn't know until reviewing chart after flight; no visual at night (questionable since it was twilight). May be not a problem. However; we did not perform a visual approach since we were not IFR anymore. I wonder of the intent of the chart? Circling at night ok off of the lda runway 08. No prohibition to cancel IFR at night. Visual approach not a VFR maneuver; therefore not technically in violation of the chart. Some of this I knew beforehand; but some 20/20 hindsight. If intent is no VMC type maneuvering at night; chart might be clarified.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 FLT CREW EXECUTED A VISUAL APCH TO JNU AT NIGHT CONTRARY TO COMPANY POLICY.

Narrative: FLEW RNP RWY 26 TO JNU. BROKE OUT IN GOOD VMC AT ABOUT 6500 FT. ENDED UP HIGH ON PROFILE APPROX 4 NM FROM END OF RWY 26. INITIATED A GO AROUND PER POLICY. KNEW THAT WE COULDN'T CIRCLE OUT OF THE APCH; SO CANCELLED IFR. FLEW RIGHT HAND TFC APCH TO RWY 08. NO ONE ELSE IN PATTERN; NO PROBS. KNEW THAT WE COULDN'T CANCEL IFR OUTSIDE OF 10 MILES (DID A GO AROUND INITIATION). WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL REVIEWING CHART AFTER FLT; NO VISUAL AT NIGHT (QUESTIONABLE SINCE IT WAS TWILIGHT). MAY BE NOT A PROB. HOWEVER; WE DID NOT PERFORM A VISUAL APCH SINCE WE WERE NOT IFR ANYMORE. I WONDER OF THE INTENT OF THE CHART? CIRCLING AT NIGHT OK OFF OF THE LDA RWY 08. NO PROHIBITION TO CANCEL IFR AT NIGHT. VISUAL APCH NOT A VFR MANEUVER; THEREFORE NOT TECHNICALLY IN VIOLATION OF THE CHART. SOME OF THIS I KNEW BEFOREHAND; BUT SOME 20/20 HINDSIGHT. IF INTENT IS NO VMC TYPE MANEUVERING AT NIGHT; CHART MIGHT BE CLARIFIED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.