<< >> NASA ASRS Report 204212, March 1992

Small aircraft pilot flying localizer back course approach encounters freezing drizzle and severe turbulence. Unable hold course, makes map twice, able to land third time around.

Attributes
ACN	204212
Time
Date	199203
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfk
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 2700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gfk tower : clt
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	204212
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the localizer backcourse 17R to grand forks, approach was vectoring me on to the approach. During vectoring approach descended me down from 4000 to 3000. This is when I started picking up freezing drizzle and severe turbulence during the approach. My altitude during the intermediate part ranged from 2200-2700 ft. My heading was ranging 20-50 degree off heading. The turbulence was too much to handle. This turbulence was not forecast. Approach helped me as much as they could. They ended up vectoring me around 3 times before I was able to hold the heading close enough to do the approach. I felt this was the safest thing to do because of the ice I was picking up. The plane was an small aircraft which can't hold that much to begin with. I feel I should have not filed IFR to grand forks. I should have remained over night at my departure airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLYING LOC BC APCH ENCOUNTERS FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SEVERE TURB. UNABLE HOLD COURSE, MAKES MAP TWICE, ABLE TO LAND THIRD TIME AROUND.

Narrative: ON THE LOC BACKCOURSE 17R TO GRAND FORKS, APCH WAS VECTORING ME ON TO THE APCH. DURING VECTORING APCH DSNDED ME DOWN FROM 4000 TO 3000. THIS IS WHEN I STARTED PICKING UP FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SEVERE TURB DURING THE APCH. MY ALT DURING THE INTERMEDIATE PART RANGED FROM 2200-2700 FT. MY HDG WAS RANGING 20-50 DEG OFF HDG. THE TURB WAS TOO MUCH TO HANDLE. THIS TURB WAS NOT FORECAST. APCH HELPED ME AS MUCH AS THEY COULD. THEY ENDED UP VECTORING ME AROUND 3 TIMES BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE HDG CLOSE ENOUGH TO DO THE APCH. I FELT THIS WAS THE SAFEST THING TO DO BECAUSE OF THE ICE I WAS PICKING UP. THE PLANE WAS AN SMA WHICH CAN'T HOLD THAT MUCH TO BEGIN WITH. I FEEL I SHOULD HAVE NOT FILED IFR TO GRAND FORKS. I SHOULD HAVE REMAINED OVER NIGHT AT MY DEP ARPT.

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.