Narrative:

Flight was cleared for the contact approach by ZNY and told to contact ipt tower. While we were on the approach to ipt, ATC advised that the winds were rotating around the dial, but mostly 0805-10 KTS. After 2 mi we encountered moderate turbulence and moderate rain. On a 1/2 mi final, winds were reported at 0805. At this point the turbulence was severe and in heavy rain so a go around was initiated. When in the go around we were pushed toward the ground, in what both pilots later decided was a microburst or a downdraft. Luckily we missed hitting the ground. The turbulence int he climb phase was severe and the aircraft was almost uncontrollable. Several mins later ATC advised winds were gusting up to 38 KTS (WX from tropical storm hugo). We then diverted to sce, south of ipt. This incident and possible accident did not occur because the captain and first officer were highly experienced, however it was almost more than we could handle. Airports near precipitous terrain should have low level wind shear alerting capabilities. If we would have had more information, the approach would never have been attempted by this crew. It shouldn't take an accident before the FAA does something about it, and ipt is an accident waiting to happen.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT FLT CREW ENCOUNTERED LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR, POSSIBLE MICROBURST, WHICH PUSHED THEM WITHIN 10' OF GND. DID A GO AROUND, THEN DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: FLT WAS CLRED FOR THE CONTACT APCH BY ZNY AND TOLD TO CONTACT IPT TWR. WHILE WE WERE ON THE APCH TO IPT, ATC ADVISED THAT THE WINDS WERE ROTATING AROUND THE DIAL, BUT MOSTLY 0805-10 KTS. AFTER 2 MI WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB AND MODERATE RAIN. ON A 1/2 MI FINAL, WINDS WERE RPTED AT 0805. AT THIS POINT THE TURB WAS SEVERE AND IN HVY RAIN SO A GAR WAS INITIATED. WHEN IN THE GAR WE WERE PUSHED TOWARD THE GND, IN WHAT BOTH PLTS LATER DECIDED WAS A MICROBURST OR A DOWNDRAFT. LUCKILY WE MISSED HITTING THE GND. THE TURB INT HE CLB PHASE WAS SEVERE AND THE ACFT WAS ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE. SEVERAL MINS LATER ATC ADVISED WINDS WERE GUSTING UP TO 38 KTS (WX FROM TROPICAL STORM HUGO). WE THEN DIVERTED TO SCE, S OF IPT. THIS INCIDENT AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR BECAUSE THE CAPT AND F/O WERE HIGHLY EXPERIENCED, HOWEVER IT WAS ALMOST MORE THAN WE COULD HANDLE. ARPTS NEAR PRECIPITOUS TERRAIN SHOULD HAVE LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR ALERTING CAPABILITIES. IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD MORE INFO, THE APCH WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED BY THIS CREW. IT SHOULDN'T TAKE AN ACCIDENT BEFORE THE FAA DOES SOMETHING ABOUT IT, AND IPT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

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.