What properties allow me to see past Earth's curvature?

[Duda]

I recently was able to view a 193 foot building from 24 miles away. The base of the building is approximately 15 feet above sea level and my eye level was approximately 9 feet above sea level. I was viewing the building across a Lake. I could see a substantial amount of the building, which seemed like 75% or even 100%, but of course the distance was so great that I couldn't get details. Based on my curvature of the Earth calculations, I should not have been able to see any of the building as ~270 feet should have been obscured by the curvature of Earth. What am I missing? Is there some kind of refraction?

 

[Asymptotic]

Looming, perhaps.

 

[sophiecentaur]

I always have problems with Imperial Measurements (our Empire was dispensed with many years ago and so should the units have been!) Could it be that you are giving the formula you are using the wrong units for one of the dimensions? (No offence - just checking is always worth while. )
There is a good link about Looming here.

 

[CWatters]

Calculator here confirms your calculation of around 270ft..

https://dizzib.github.io/earth/curve-calc/?d0=24&h0=100&unit=imperial