Descend too low on NDB approach when white out conditions cause deceptive perspective.

Attributes
ACN	230890
Time
Date	199301
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pld
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fwa
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	230890
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We broke out on the NDB 9 approach at portland in (pld) but could only see out the side windows because both front windows were covered with ice. We circled the airport twice and checked out the runway for snow accumulation and it appeared to be in good shape. On base leg we could see the runway through left side window. On final we descended too low due to lack of outside references, combined with probably wrong altimeter setting. Suddenly, I (copilot) noticed that we were dangerously low and pulled back on the yoke, as the airplane went from nose down to nose up the wheels touched the ground (definitely not the runway). The pilot added power and we took off again. The wheels touched the ground no longer than 1 second. We reported missed approach to fort wayne approach and requested ILS 5. On the ILS 5 I could see the ALS and the runway light through the right side of front windshield. As we came closer and lower the runway edge lights were clearly visible through both left and right side windows so I had a sense of depth and could make a safe landing. After landing we checked out the airplane, no damage, about 1/3 inch of ice on windshield, 1/3 inch ice on all other parts of airplane. As we saw that we had ice on front windows we should have diverted to fort wayne, which has longer and wider runways than pld, instead of trying to make it into pld.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DSND TOO LOW ON NDB APCH WHEN WHITE OUT CONDITIONS CAUSE DECEPTIVE PERSPECTIVE.

Narrative: WE BROKE OUT ON THE NDB 9 APCH AT PORTLAND IN (PLD) BUT COULD ONLY SEE OUT THE SIDE WINDOWS BECAUSE BOTH FRONT WINDOWS WERE COVERED WITH ICE. WE CIRCLED THE ARPT TWICE AND CHKED OUT THE RWY FOR SNOW ACCUMULATION AND IT APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE. ON BASE LEG WE COULD SEE THE RWY THROUGH L SIDE WINDOW. ON FINAL WE DSNDED TOO LOW DUE TO LACK OF OUTSIDE REFS, COMBINED WITH PROBABLY WRONG ALTIMETER SETTING. SUDDENLY, I (COPLT) NOTICED THAT WE WERE DANGEROUSLY LOW AND PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE, AS THE AIRPLANE WENT FROM NOSE DOWN TO NOSE UP THE WHEELS TOUCHED THE GND (DEFINITELY NOT THE RWY). THE PLT ADDED PWR AND WE TOOK OFF AGAIN. THE WHEELS TOUCHED THE GND NO LONGER THAN 1 SECOND. WE RPTED MISSED APCH TO FORT WAYNE APCH AND REQUESTED ILS 5. ON THE ILS 5 I COULD SEE THE ALS AND THE RWY LIGHT THROUGH THE R SIDE OF FRONT WINDSHIELD. AS WE CAME CLOSER AND LOWER THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS WERE CLRLY VISIBLE THROUGH BOTH L AND R SIDE WINDOWS SO I HAD A SENSE OF DEPTH AND COULD MAKE A SAFE LNDG. AFTER LNDG WE CHKED OUT THE AIRPLANE, NO DAMAGE, ABOUT 1/3 INCH OF ICE ON WINDSHIELD, 1/3 INCH ICE ON ALL OTHER PARTS OF AIRPLANE. AS WE SAW THAT WE HAD ICE ON FRONT WINDOWS WE SHOULD HAVE DIVERTED TO FORT WAYNE, WHICH HAS LONGER AND WIDER RWYS THAN PLD, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO MAKE IT INTO PLD.

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.