Narrative:

This incident occurred during an instrument approach to the donegal springs airport in marietta, PA (N71). I flew the approach as published. Prior to reaching the missed approach point I made visual contact with the runway environment and descended from MDA to prepare for landing. But the limited visibility prevented me from seeing that the ceiling was ragged. After descending beneath MDA I encountered more clouds and lost visual contact with the runway environment. Rather than try to re-establish visual contact, I flew a missed approach. WX reporting was available from 2 different airports, each of which were only 13 mi away. But neither of these reports accurately reflected the conditions at donegal springs, which had a lower ceiling than the other 2 nearby airports. This situation could have been avoided if accurate WX reporting had been available, either by human observation or AWOS. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states this is a very low usage airport. He goes there because his mechanic is located on the field. Apparently, this is not a normal situation and controllers at lns were very surprised to see him come back. Recently, a remote frequency for picking up clrncs was established on the field. This is a big step forward and reporter feels that WX service of some nature would have also been installed if possible, funding being the determining factor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS FIELD IN SIGHT AT MDA BUT LOSES SIGHT AS APCH CONTINUES. MISSED APCH EXECUTED.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING AN INST APCH TO THE DONEGAL SPRINGS ARPT IN MARIETTA, PA (N71). I FLEW THE APCH AS PUBLISHED. PRIOR TO REACHING THE MISSED APCH POINT I MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY ENVIRONMENT AND DSNDED FROM MDA TO PREPARE FOR LNDG. BUT THE LIMITED VISIBILITY PREVENTED ME FROM SEEING THAT THE CEILING WAS RAGGED. AFTER DSNDING BENEATH MDA I ENCOUNTERED MORE CLOUDS AND LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY ENVIRONMENT. RATHER THAN TRY TO RE-ESTABLISH VISUAL CONTACT, I FLEW A MISSED APCH. WX RPTING WAS AVAILABLE FROM 2 DIFFERENT ARPTS, EACH OF WHICH WERE ONLY 13 MI AWAY. BUT NEITHER OF THESE RPTS ACCURATELY REFLECTED THE CONDITIONS AT DONEGAL SPRINGS, WHICH HAD A LOWER CEILING THAN THE OTHER 2 NEARBY ARPTS. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF ACCURATE WX RPTING HAD BEEN AVAILABLE, EITHER BY HUMAN OBSERVATION OR AWOS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THIS IS A VERY LOW USAGE ARPT. HE GOES THERE BECAUSE HIS MECH IS LOCATED ON THE FIELD. APPARENTLY, THIS IS NOT A NORMAL SIT AND CTLRS AT LNS WERE VERY SURPRISED TO SEE HIM COME BACK. RECENTLY, A REMOTE FREQ FOR PICKING UP CLRNCS WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE FIELD. THIS IS A BIG STEP FORWARD AND RPTR FEELS THAT WX SVC OF SOME NATURE WOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN INSTALLED IF POSSIBLE, FUNDING BEING THE DETERMINING FACTOR.

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.