AN A300 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS WINDSHEAR RESULTING IN +6000 FT THROUGH -3000 FT ALTDEVS DURING APCH TO HSV.

2003-06 · NASA ASRS report 588124

Date: 2003-06 · Aircraft: A300

Anomalies: deviation-altitude-excursion-from-assigned-altitude|inflight-event-encounter-weather-turbulence|inflight-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control

Synopsis

AN A300 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS WINDSHEAR RESULTING IN +6000 FT THROUGH -3000 FT ALTDEVS DURING APCH TO HSV.

Narrative

I WAS IN COMMAND OF AN A300 OPERATING FROM MIAMI; FL; TO HUNTSVILLE; AL. ALL OUR DSCNT TO LAND AT HUNTSVILLE ARPT WAS MADE UNDER IMC AND WE REQUESTED DEVS FROM OUR TRACK DUE TO ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS. WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO DEVIATE AND WE WERE INFORMED BY THE AIR TFC CTLR THAT IN ABOUT 10 NM AHEAD; WE WOULD FIND BETTER WX CONDITIONS. THIS INFO WAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OBSERVED IN OUR AIRBORNE WX RADAR. WE WERE ABOUT 20 NM FROM HUNTSVILLE ARPT MAINTAINING 10000 FT AND THE AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED. INITIALLY; WE FOUND LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB AND THEN HVY HAIL. SUDDENLY; WE WERE AFFECTED BY A STRONG DSNDING VERT WINDSHEAR AND THE ACFT STARTED AN UNCOMMANDED LOST OF ALT. I WAS ACTING AS PF AND MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO DISCONNECT THE ALT HOLD MODE IN ORDER TO HAVE MANUAL CTL OF THE PITCH ATTITUDE WITH THE COLUMN CTL AND STOP DSND. FINALLY; I STOPPED THE UNCOMMANDED DSCNT AT 7000 FT; BUT IMMEDIATELY WE WERE NOW AFFECTED BY A STRONG ASCENDING VERT WINDSHEAR AND THE ACFT STARTED AN UNCOMMANDED CLB UP TO NEAR 16000 FT. DURING THIS PERIOD; THE AIR TFC CTLR CALLED US A FEW TIMES ASKING FOR OUR STATUS AND INTENTIONS; BUT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ANSWER BECAUSE OUR FIRST PRIORITY WAS TO CTL THE ACFT. ONCE THE ACFT WAS FULLY IN CTL AFTER THE WINDSHEAR PROC WAS COMPLETED; WE ANSWERED THE AIR TFC CTLR THAT OUR INTENTIONS IN CASE OF NO IMPROVEMENT OF WX CONDITIONS IN HSV AND BHM; WE WILL PROCEED TO MEMPHIS. ATC ASKED US TO STOP THE CLB AND MAINTAIN 16000 FT WHILE WE ALREADY HAD THE ACFT LEVELED OFF. BY THAT TIME; THE SQUALL LINE WAS LEFT S AND WE REGAINED VMC CONDITIONS; SO WE DECIDED TO REQUEST CLRNC TO CONTINUE THE APCH TO HUNTSVILLE ARPT. WE WERE CLR TO DSND AND RECEIVED VECTORS FOR THE APCH. SINCE WE HAD STABLE WX CONDITIONS; I PERSONALLY CALLED ATC AND GAVE DETAILS ABOUT THE WINDSHEAR CONDITIONS. DURING THE REST OF THE APCH AND LNDG AT HUNTSVILLE ARPT; WE DID NOT FIND ANY FURTHER ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO INFORM YOU THAT THE PARAMETERS OF THE ENGS WERE NEVER EXCEEDED. ALSO; DURING THE UNCOMMANDED DSCNT AND CLB OF THE ACFT; THE MMO/VMO; STICK SHAKER OR INITIAL BUFFET WERE NEVER REACHED; FOUND OR FELT. FINALLY; DURING THE 3 HRS XSIT THAT THE ACFT REMAINED ON THE GND AT HUNTSVILLE ARPT; OUR MECH ON BOARD; PERFORMED A THOROUGH INSPECTION ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY MAINT MANUAL. THIS INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED WITH NO FINDINGS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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