FLC BEHAVIOR IS LISTED AS A CAUSATIVE FACTOR FOR AN ACR'S FLT INTO DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS THAT ULTIMATELY BECAME A MISSED APCH.
Synopsis
FLC BEHAVIOR IS LISTED AS A CAUSATIVE FACTOR FOR AN ACR'S FLT INTO DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS THAT ULTIMATELY BECAME A MISSED APCH.
Narrative
BRIEFED APCH BASED ON 20 BROKEN 7 MI VISIBILITY HAD THE WING AND ENG ANTI-ICE ON AS WE HAD DSNDED THROUGH LAYERS OF CLOUDS. CLRED APCH AND CONTACTED TWR. TWR RPTED THAT THEY HAD A SNOW SHOWER WITH 1/2 MI VISIBILITY. I IMMEDIATELY CHKED TO CONFIRM IF WE WERE LEGAL FOR THE APCH AND THEN CONFIGURED THE ACFT COMPLETELY FOR LNDG. TWR THEN RPTED THUNDER AND LIGHTENING AT THE FIELD (FIRST CLUE) TURNED THE RADAR ON. SHOWED ONLY GREEN SHOWING MOISTURE. TWR THEN RPTED STRONG WINDS UP TO 25 KTS. BASICALLY DOWN THE RWY (SECOND CLUE). I THEN CONSIDERED A MISSED APCH. THEN ASKED THE FO TO GET ANOTHER RPT. TWR SAID 1/2 MI AND SNOW COVERING THE RWY (THIRD CLUE). AT THAT POINT I DECIDED I DIDN'T WANT TO LAND ON A SHORT RWY WITH STRONG WINDS AND SNOW COVERED. WE MADE A MISSED APCH. WE WERE BTWN 1000-1500 FT ABOVE THE GND ON THE START OF MISSED APCH. JUST AS WE STARTED OUR MISSED APCH WE HIT VERY HVY SNOW. IT COVERED OUR WINDOWS. TWR SAID FLY RWY HDG. I THOUGHT ABOUT A R TURN OUT BUT THE RADAR DIDN'T SHOW ANYTHING BAD ANY DIRECTION. DURING THE MISSED APCH WE EITHER HAD TWO STATIC DISCHARGES OR LIGHTENING STRIKES; OR TWO CLOSE STRIKES. WE WENT OUT AND HELD FOR 20 MINS AND RETURNED AND LANDED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. NORMALLY WHEN FLYING INTO WX AND MAKING AN APCH INTO TSTMS OR RAIN SHOWERS I LOOK AT THE RADAR AND MAKE AN EARLY DECISION ON WHICH WAY I INTEND TO MAKE A MISSED APCH AND THEN INFORM APCH CTL OF MY INTENTIONS IF THEY CONFLICT WITH THE NORMAL MISSED APCH PROC. IN THIS SITUATION WE WERE NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT DID HAPPEN; A SNOW TSTM. TWR WANTED US TO GO STRAIGHT AHEAD. I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO MAKE A R TURN. WHY I DON'T KNOW; BECAUSE THE RADAR DIDN'T SHOW ANYTHING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. WE AS PLTS MUST BE PREPARED FOR THE UNEXPECTED AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. I SHOULD HAVE IN THIS SITUATION; USED THE FIRST CLUE OF THUNDER AND LIGHTENING AND ASKED FOR A R TURN; GOT OUT OF THERE AND WAITED FOR IT TO CLR UP. WHAT'S A FEW MINS IN WHAT I HOPE IS A LONG LIFE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.