2010-10 · NASA ASRS report 916097
Surprised to learn there was significant windshear at their destination; an A320 Flight Crew chose to land regardless because their alternate was no better.
Forecasts winds [at destination] were 25038G44 all day. Ceilings at 3;500 AGL with good visibility.Moderate to severe turbulence started around 3;000 MSL about 20 miles out on final to Runway 22. When we contacted Tower for landing clearance he advised 'previous aircraft reported plus and minus 30 KTS on final; windshear reports at 1;000 FT; several aircraft have gone around; you are cleared to land Runway 22'. Had I been aware that these conditions had been in effect for hours and were forecast for hours more I would never have departed. Dispatch never said a word.Our alternate had similar conditions. We discussed windshear preventive measures and a flaps 3 approach and landing was flown. Airspeed was all over the place. We experienced a loss of 40 KTS at one time but the aircraft recovered back to mini GS. Most of the final approach was plus or minus 30 but never less then 150 KIAS. At 1;000 FT we did get the 'windshear' warning four times but it stopped and again IAS never got below 150. the turbulence was mod [with] a few severe jolts. We also had the 20 KTS gain below 1;000 FT. Just prior to touchdown tower reported winds at 26038G47. We touched down about 1;500 FT down the runway and slowed very quickly in about 3;000 FT to taxi speed.Needless to say this was an unexpected end to an unplanned reassignment with no fore-warning. Until the Tower issued our clearance we had no idea these were the conditions at our destination. We had several high probability and a few medium probability windshear indications and yet ATC Controllers were allowing flights to land and takeoff. We do not train for planned windshear approaches and landings. However; at no time did we allow our airspeed to reach an unsafe state nor did we feel the aircraft was in any dangerous or unrecoverable position. This is one of those real world events that we had never encountered. It seems that Dispatch needs to notify crews in advance of current field conditions like these and that perhaps we need to train our pilots for extreme wind events like these.
Did normal descent planning and briefed for a LOC (Managed/Selected) approach. Did not brief wind shear due to ATIS not reporting it. Airport landing Runway 22 due to winds reported at approximately 240/34G47. Vectored by Approach for a LOC to Runway 22 due to a ragged ceiling. Winds on the descent were 15 to 20 KTS. Configured as per brief and used Flaps 3. Configured for the approach about 1.5 miles prior to the FAF. Tower reported that airplanes prior were reporting +25 to -5 KTS on final. Winds became stronger the lower the descent; but the steady state winds and gusts stayed fairly constant. Airplanes were landing at an interval to accommodate takeoffs and landings for single runway operation. Airplanes before us were not reporting any wind shear; but were reporting airspeed gains and some losses after landing.The approach became a visual below the ragged ceiling and before the FAF. Captain was descending on the PAPI and localizer course. The VVI fluctuated between 700 and 800 FPM down as we were using a briefed 3 degree glideslope. The airspeed was fluctuating with the mini GS; but not more than -5 to +10 KTS. A quick 5 KT drop in airspeed coupled with a momentary increase in VVI set off the FAC windshear warning. The warning came as a surprise because the airplane was fairly steady given the winds and no wind shear had been reported by the prior landing airplane.Long discussion on the ground about the weather conditions and how the weather was affecting the approach; especially that the weather was strong enough to cause a single runway operation. The weather and runway configuration situation were not given the significance that it deserved in the flight papers. I was wrongly under the impression that the weather had moved on and we were delayed because of the volume of traffic; not by single runways operations and continuing winds.The FOM states that in every case it is the responsibility of the pilot flying to assess the situation and use sound judgment in determining the safest course of action. The safest course of action seemed to be; in this situation; to continue the approach and land.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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