Narrative:

Approach control advised of turbulence in anc area. Approach indicated vectors for runway 14 (ATIS winds 270 degrees 12 G 22). Tailwinds for runway 14 caused us to ask for a visual approach runway 32. We were cleared by the tower for visual approach to runway 32. During base to final turn, aircraft encountered strong winds of 130 degrees/60-80 KTS heads up display wind data. We aborted landing approach to runway 32, requested visual approach to 24 (departure runway) and on base turn, aircraft encountered severe turbulence and wind shear. On the aborted approach and missed approach, our flight path took us directly over the airport heading west. Due to turbulence and wind shear conditions, aircraft was very difficult to maintain tower clearance altitude and headings, and IAS fluctuated +/- 30 KTS. We maintained within VFR conditions. Remaining fuel prevented divert to fairbanks. Turbulence areas and strong winds at traffic pattern altitudes were dynamic and ever changing, and diminished somewhat north and west of the airport. We elected to approach the airport from that quadrant, stated our intentions to land runway 14 from a visual approach and received clearance from the tower to do so. Upon landing we noticed other aircraft taking off and landing so we gave a PIREP of the magnitude of encountered winds and turbulence to ground control. We were not aware of the severity of the turbulence until encountered in the air traffic area. Flight path data and associated winds at altitude (different than reported surface winds) presented to the captain via the heads up display enhanced our decision process to abort the first 2 landing attempts prior to a dangerous situation developing like previous wind shear accidents.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT HAD TO ABANDON 2 APCHS IN THE ANC AREA BECAUSE OF HIGH WINDS AND WIND SHEAR. CLAIMS HEADS UP DISPLAY WAS VERY VALUABLE IN MAKING THE DECISION TO GAR.

Narrative: APCH CTL ADVISED OF TURB IN ANC AREA. APCH INDICATED VECTORS FOR RWY 14 (ATIS WINDS 270 DEGS 12 G 22). TAILWINDS FOR RWY 14 CAUSED US TO ASK FOR A VISUAL APCH RWY 32. WE WERE CLRED BY THE TWR FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 32. DURING BASE TO FINAL TURN, ACFT ENCOUNTERED STRONG WINDS OF 130 DEGS/60-80 KTS HEADS UP DISPLAY WIND DATA. WE ABORTED LNDG APCH TO RWY 32, REQUESTED VISUAL APCH TO 24 (DEP RWY) AND ON BASE TURN, ACFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB AND WIND SHEAR. ON THE ABORTED APCH AND MISSED APCH, OUR FLT PATH TOOK US DIRECTLY OVER THE ARPT HDG W. DUE TO TURB AND WIND SHEAR CONDITIONS, ACFT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN TWR CLRNC ALT AND HDGS, AND IAS FLUCTUATED +/- 30 KTS. WE MAINTAINED WITHIN VFR CONDITIONS. REMAINING FUEL PREVENTED DIVERT TO FAIRBANKS. TURB AREAS AND STRONG WINDS AT TFC PATTERN ALTS WERE DYNAMIC AND EVER CHANGING, AND DIMINISHED SOMEWHAT N AND W OF THE ARPT. WE ELECTED TO APCH THE ARPT FROM THAT QUADRANT, STATED OUR INTENTIONS TO LAND RWY 14 FROM A VISUAL APCH AND RECEIVED CLRNC FROM THE TWR TO DO SO. UPON LNDG WE NOTICED OTHER ACFT TAKING OFF AND LNDG SO WE GAVE A PIREP OF THE MAGNITUDE OF ENCOUNTERED WINDS AND TURB TO GND CTL. WE WERE NOT AWARE OF THE SEVERITY OF THE TURB UNTIL ENCOUNTERED IN THE ATA. FLT PATH DATA AND ASSOCIATED WINDS AT ALT (DIFFERENT THAN RPTED SURFACE WINDS) PRESENTED TO THE CAPT VIA THE HEADS UP DISPLAY ENHANCED OUR DECISION PROCESS TO ABORT THE FIRST 2 LNDG ATTEMPTS PRIOR TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION DEVELOPING LIKE PREVIOUS WIND SHEAR ACCIDENTS.

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.