MLG IN PROCESS OF DEVIATING WX HAS RADAR FAILURE. THEY SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM CTR AND FROM COMPANY RADAR. ARE DIRECTED INTO AREA OF SEVERE HAIL AND TURB. EXIT AREA IN 30 SECONDS AND ENTER SMOOTH AIR.
Synopsis
MLG IN PROCESS OF DEVIATING WX HAS RADAR FAILURE. THEY SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM CTR AND FROM COMPANY RADAR. ARE DIRECTED INTO AREA OF SEVERE HAIL AND TURB. EXIT AREA IN 30 SECONDS AND ENTER SMOOTH AIR.
Narrative
WE WERE CLBING OUT OF OKC ENRTE TO STL. WE WERE LOOKING AT A STORM OVER TUL WITH WX TO THE NW. IT WAS CLR TO THE S-SE AS WE COULD SEE ON OUR RADAR. ALL OF A SUDDEN; THE RADAR WENT BLANK AND WE GOT AN 'ANT FAULT' DISPLAY. DOING A 180 DEG TURN WAS NOT AN OPTION DUE TO THE WX WE HAD COMING OUT OF OKC. WE NOTIFIED ATC FOR HELP AROUND THE STORM; BUT THEY SAID THEY REALLY COULDN'T HELP MUCH. THEY CALLED OUR COMPANY GOING AROUND THE WX; THAT WAS INBOUND TO OKC. WITH COMPANY'S RADAR; AND WHAT THE ATC CTL CAME UP WITH WAS A 30 DEG HDG TO A 120 DEG HDG. WITHIN 1 MIN ON THAT HEADING; IT GOT VERY ROUGH AND THEN IT STARTED TO HAIL. I GUESS WE WERE IN IT FOR 30 SECONDS. AFTER THAT; IT SMOOTHED OUT AND WAS CLR ON THE OTHER SIDE. ABOUT 5 MINS AFTER THE HAIL; THE RADAR CAME BACK ON AND WORKED NORMALLY. WE CONTINUED TO STL WITHOUT ANY PROB FROM THEN ON. WE LANDED; DID A WALKAROUND AND FOUND DAMAGE ALL OVER (FROM WHAT I COULD SEE; IT WAS NIGHTTIME). WE GOT INTO ANOTHER ACFT; AND FLEW IT THE FINAL LEG TO MDW. THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF; IS DON'T TRUST ATC'S RADAR FOR HELP; PERIOD!
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.