If an airport's reported ceiling is below approach plate minimums, but the visibility is above landing minimums, can the pilot attempt the approach?

• A. The pilots may attempt the approach up until the FAF. If the weather remains below landing minimums at the FAF, the pilots must execute a missed approach
• B. The flight can continue to land as long as visibility is above minimums
• C. The flight must divert immediately
• D. The flight can circle to land regardless

Answer: (A)

Approach minimums set the weather you must have to begin and continue an instrument approach. They specify both a required ceiling and a required visibility. If the reported ceiling is below the published minimums, you aren’t authorized to land, even if visibility meets the minimums for landing. However, you can still fly the published approach to the final approach fix (the FAF) as long as the visibility meets the minimums for the approach. Once you reach the FAF, you must be prepared to continue to land under the published minimums. If, at the FAF, the weather remains below the landing minimums, a missed approach is required.

So in this scenario, you can fly the approach to the FAF, since visibility is above the landing minimums, but you cannot land if the ceiling is still below minimums at that point; you must execute a missed approach if the weather hasn’t met the minimums by the FAF.