>>The note on the standar minima page for KBHM states that the LOC procedure is not to be used at night. <<
No, the note says that the approach is N/A at night *IF* the PAPI is inop. So far I have seen nothing which suggests the PAPI was inop.
the Jepp plate for the LOC approach (posted in post #228 of this thread) seems to suggest in the minima section that it's N/A at night. However it also contains the note that the procedure is N/A *if* the PAPI is inop. That taken by itself implies the the procedure is approved for night ops if the PAPI is operative. So there seems to be conflicting information on the Jepp chart.
And actually, the Jepp chart, 11-2 dated 17 AUG 12, LOC Rwy 18 indeed has
both notations.
Note 2. at the top says 'When VGSI inop, procedure not authorized at night.'
And, in the minima boxes at the bottom of the approach plate under 'NIGHT' it says 'NA'.
Since the minima boxes are recently shuffled on Jepp charts and some precision approaches now have Cat I,II and III depicted on the same chart, I've certainly grabbed the wrong MDA or DA before through the habit of looking in the same place on the minima matrix as in years past.
Like most of us in large planes, I usually shoot either precision approaches (e.g. ILS) or visual approaches with precision guidance for backup. And I normally have the luxury of operating out of larger international airports. I'm pretty sure I would not have caught the discrepancy between Note 2. and the night minima box. I looked long and hard at that approach plate last week sitting at a desk and never saw the night minima notation at the bottom.
The NA on this Jepp chart is thought to be a typo given the note at the top and the lack of night minima NA on the corresponding government chart:
http://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/1308/00050L18.PDF
The UPS crew had paper Jepps from what I've read elsewhere.
I assume the "sink rate" warning overrode the "100" callout. The former is often ignored, the latter might have been a wake-up call.
In my experience, it is not at all normal to hear "SINK RATE" on any approach, it would sure get my undivided attention on a night non-precision approach to an unfamiliar runway. Sadly, as others have noted, the warning came very late for this crew.