<< >> NASA ASRS Report 149026, June 1990

Air carrier medium large transport dispatched into thunderstorm activity with inoperative aircraft WX radar.

Attributes
ACN	149026
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 6800
ASRS Report	149026
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On inbound leg to msp noticed WX radar not working properly but intermittent problem. We were late arriving msp. I had briefly wondered if we would be able to leave msp with radar problem. There was some shower activity, although I had not heard of any thunderstorm activity. I should explain that I am new to this company and aircraft, and in trying to get my duties done (i.e., preflight, weight & balance, clearance) I had not had a chance to review the WX except for current conditions at mdw. Left msp and radar would not work at all. By this time there was some convective activity, although it did not sound like other aircraft in our area were deviating. About mid-point encountered moderate to possibly severe turbulence with hail. Radome had to be replaced due to hail damage. In retrospect I should have questioned captain about leaving with marginal (at best) radar. Should have looked at WX personally. Finally, we should have questioned ATC about activity once in air. Being a new guy and not yet comfortable in the aircraft had much to do with my actions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DISPATCHED INTO TSTM ACTIVITY WITH INOPERATIVE ACFT WX RADAR.

Narrative: ON INBND LEG TO MSP NOTICED WX RADAR NOT WORKING PROPERLY BUT INTERMITTENT PROB. WE WERE LATE ARRIVING MSP. I HAD BRIEFLY WONDERED IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO LEAVE MSP WITH RADAR PROB. THERE WAS SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY, ALTHOUGH I HAD NOT HEARD OF ANY TSTM ACTIVITY. I SHOULD EXPLAIN THAT I AM NEW TO THIS COMPANY AND ACFT, AND IN TRYING TO GET MY DUTIES DONE (I.E., PREFLT, WT & BAL, CLRNC) I HAD NOT HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE WX EXCEPT FOR CURRENT CONDITIONS AT MDW. LEFT MSP AND RADAR WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL. BY THIS TIME THERE WAS SOME CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY, ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT SOUND LIKE OTHER ACFT IN OUR AREA WERE DEVIATING. ABOUT MID-POINT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO POSSIBLY SEVERE TURB WITH HAIL. RADOME HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO HAIL DAMAGE. IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED CAPT ABOUT LEAVING WITH MARGINAL (AT BEST) RADAR. SHOULD HAVE LOOKED AT WX PERSONALLY. FINALLY, WE SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED ATC ABOUT ACTIVITY ONCE IN AIR. BEING A NEW GUY AND NOT YET COMFORTABLE IN THE ACFT HAD MUCH TO DO WITH MY ACTIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.