GA small aircraft in-flight encounter with thunderstorm activity. Requests receives vectors to iad where following aircraft has to make go around.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	113634
Time
Date	198906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach ground other : taxi landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	113634
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route martinsburg, wv to richmond, va. FSS brief at martinsburg: thunderstorms west of airport, not to be a factor en route to richmond. After takeoff thunderstorms developed in all quadrants. Requested iad approach control to clear me to nearest airport. They cleared me to iad very quickly. Had a lot of trouble locating approach plates in turbulence causing me to ask for vectors to 'get squared away'. Due to turbulence temporarily lost transmit capability after switching radios (automatic switch in a hung position). Regained transmitter. Flew thru localizer. Approach controller corrected me. Substantial crosswind on final. On final thunderstorm cell appeared over approach end of runway, visibility to 1/4 mi. Approach to minimums in fog. Driving rain and low ceiling. Crosswind exceeded (apparently) crosswind component of aircraft. After landing in low visibility turned off on first available taxiway which turned out to be under construction. No problems though. Plane behind me was ordered to go around.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH TSTM ACTIVITY. REQUESTS RECEIVES VECTORS TO IAD WHERE FOLLOWING ACFT HAS TO MAKE GO AROUND.

Narrative: ENRTE MARTINSBURG, WV TO RICHMOND, VA. FSS BRIEF AT MARTINSBURG: TSTMS W OF ARPT, NOT TO BE A FACTOR ENRTE TO RICHMOND. AFTER TKOF TSTMS DEVELOPED IN ALL QUADRANTS. REQUESTED IAD APCH CTL TO CLEAR ME TO NEAREST ARPT. THEY CLRED ME TO IAD VERY QUICKLY. HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE LOCATING APCH PLATES IN TURBULENCE CAUSING ME TO ASK FOR VECTORS TO 'GET SQUARED AWAY'. DUE TO TURBULENCE TEMPORARILY LOST XMIT CAPABILITY AFTER SWITCHING RADIOS (AUTO SWITCH IN A HUNG POSITION). REGAINED XMITTER. FLEW THRU LOC. APCH CTLR CORRECTED ME. SUBSTANTIAL XWIND ON FINAL. ON FINAL TSTM CELL APPEARED OVER APCH END OF RWY, VISIBILITY TO 1/4 MI. APCH TO MINIMUMS IN FOG. DRIVING RAIN AND LOW CEILING. XWIND EXCEEDED (APPARENTLY) XWIND COMPONENT OF ACFT. AFTER LNDG IN LOW VISIBILITY TURNED OFF ON FIRST AVAILABLE TXWY WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. NO PROBLEMS THOUGH. PLANE BEHIND ME WAS ORDERED TO GO AROUND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.