ACR MLG LANDED AT PIT IN HEAVY TSTM ACTIVITY. PIC COULD NOT BE PERSUADED TO HOLD OR DIVERT. FO GOT OFF THE TRIP AFTER LNDG.

1988-05 · NASA ASRS report 87255

Date: 1988-05 · Aircraft: Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng

Anomalies: deviation-speed-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|inflight-event-encounter-weather-turbulence

Synopsis

ACR MLG LANDED AT PIT IN HEAVY TSTM ACTIVITY. PIC COULD NOT BE PERSUADED TO HOLD OR DIVERT. FO GOT OFF THE TRIP AFTER LNDG.

Narrative

SEVERE LINE OF TSTM IN AREA AND BLOCKING RTE TO ARPT. APCH CTL ADVISED US FROM 40 MI OUT OF PITTSBURGH TO BASE LEG THAT THERE WAS A TSTM VERY NEAR IF NOT RIGHT OVER FIELD AT OUR ESTIMATED TIME OF ARR. THEY ADVISED NUMEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES. WINDS ON BASE LEG WERE 1406 AND ON SHORT FINAL THEY WERE 2318. EVERYBODY ELSE WAS HOLDING TO LET THE WX PASS. CAPT WAS GOING TO LAND NO MATTER WHAT. AS WE CROSSED THE NUMBERS AT 180 KTS (ABOUT 45 ABOVE BUG SPD) WE FLEW INTO A WALL OF WATER. LUCKILY WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. DURING OUR APCH ATC ASKED SEVERAL (AT LEAST 3 TIMES) TIMES WHAT OUR INTENTIONS WERE. AS WE PULLED INTO THE GATE; ALL RAMP PERSONNEL HAD BEEN CLRED DUE TO LIGHTNING. I TOLD THE CAPT I DIDN'T APPROVE OF HIS DECISIONS AND FELT HE PUT THE AIRPLANE IN AN UNSAFE POS AND I GOT OFF THE TRIP. DURING OUR ARR PHASE I SUGGESTED WE LAND AT CLE OR HOLD SOMEWHERE AND LET THE WX PASS. HE JUST MORE OR LESS IGNORED ME AND CONTINUED TO LAND WITH A TSTM DIRECTLY OVERHEAD. TO TOP IT OFF WE LANDED WITH 14100 LBS OF FUEL; THAT IS 2 1/2 HOURS. I DON'T KNOW WHY HE FELT SO COMPELLED TO LAND. I'VE CONTACTED OUR UNION'S PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS TO TALK TO HIM. ALSO BESIDES LNDG WITH A TSTM OVER THE FIELD HE PENETRATED THE LINE TO GET TO THE ARPT. THIS LINE WAS LEVEL 2 AND 4'S; SHOWED HEAVY RED ON THE RADAR ON THE 50 MI RANGE. CAPT TOLD ME TO HANG ON AND EXPECT HEAVY TURB AND HAIL. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE HIS JUDGEMENT. THE AUTOPLT HELD OUR ALT WITHIN 300' OF THE ASSIGNED 5000' MSL. ONCE WE BROKE OUT OF THE LINE HE FLEW 300 KTS AT 5000' TO TRY TO BEAT IT TO THE ARPT INSTEAD WE ARRIVED AT THE SAME TIME. CAPT SEEMED TO THINK SINCE WE MADE IT WITHOUT CRASHING IT MUST HAVE BEEN SAFE AND HIS JUDGEMENT SOUND. I COULD NOT CONDONE THIS HAPPENING SO LIKE I SAID I GOT OFF THE TRIP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING. THE ASSOCIATION AND COMPANY HAVE MADE A REVIEW OF THE INCIDENT BUT NO PENALTIES WERE ASSIGNED TO THE CAPT. SAFETY/STANDARDS REP THINKS THAT THE CAPT WILL PROBABLY BE MORE CIRCUMSPECT IN THE FUTURE BUT ONLY TIME WILL TELL. COMPANY TOOK NO ACTION AGAINST THE F/O FOR GETTING OFF THE TRIP.

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

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