Narrative:

This report concerns runway selection and approach procedures at den. The WX was reported (ATIS) visibility 1-1 1/2 mi blowing dust, thunderstorm, large transport low level wind shear, rain, wind 020 at 15 gusts to 40. The approach runway assigned was 26L which gave us a 7 KT tailwind component. We were assigned a 270 degree heading to parallel the localizer and offset by 1/2 mi because of landing traffic on 26R. Moderate rain was encountered until about 2 mi out at which visual was acquired. This approach required constant vectoring and voice communication with approach control as well as late, significant maneuvering to make a safe landing. Landing clearance was confused and was thought to have been issued by approach control. All of this to accommodate 'visual' approachs despite IFR conditions on final. The wind clearly dictated using 35L/right, but den is reluctant to use these runways. The WX dictated IFR approachs. Supplemental information from acn 241638: conditions were VMC at the field but there was a heavy rainshower on 4-5 mi final with concurrent arrival traffic landing on 26R. Approach control had us on a heading parallel to 26L but offset from final by about 1 mi to deconflict with 26R arrs. By the time we entered VMC, had the runway and the traffic for 26R. We were 2 mi from the end of the runway 1 mi offset. Besides being badly aligned for landing by approach control, fuel was tight for divert purposes and there was a strong crosswind (20 KT plus) with a slight quartering tailwind to add to the situation, keeping all members of the crew occupied with making a safe landing. Technically, visual approach conditions existed, but there was a definite gray area here. Switching to the north runways probably would have caused diverts due to low fuel (many aircraft were holding due to the den WX) but it would have been safer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT LANDS WITHOUT CLRNC AFTER CONDUCTING A VISUAL APCHING MARGINAL CONDITIONS. UNAUTH LNDG.

Narrative: THIS RPT CONCERNS RWY SELECTION AND APCH PROCS AT DEN. THE WX WAS RPTED (ATIS) VISIBILITY 1-1 1/2 MI BLOWING DUST, TSTM, LGT LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR, RAIN, WIND 020 AT 15 GUSTS TO 40. THE APCH RWY ASSIGNED WAS 26L WHICH GAVE US A 7 KT TAILWIND COMPONENT. WE WERE ASSIGNED A 270 DEG HDG TO PARALLEL THE LOC AND OFFSET BY 1/2 MI BECAUSE OF LNDG TFC ON 26R. MODERATE RAIN WAS ENCOUNTERED UNTIL ABOUT 2 MI OUT AT WHICH VISUAL WAS ACQUIRED. THIS APCH REQUIRED CONSTANT VECTORING AND VOICE COM WITH APCH CTL AS WELL AS LATE, SIGNIFICANT MANEUVERING TO MAKE A SAFE LNDG. LNDG CLRNC WAS CONFUSED AND WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN ISSUED BY APCH CTL. ALL OF THIS TO ACCOMMODATE 'VISUAL' APCHS DESPITE IFR CONDITIONS ON FINAL. THE WIND CLRLY DICTATED USING 35L/R, BUT DEN IS RELUCTANT TO USE THESE RWYS. THE WX DICTATED IFR APCHS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 241638: CONDITIONS WERE VMC AT THE FIELD BUT THERE WAS A HVY RAINSHOWER ON 4-5 MI FINAL WITH CONCURRENT ARR TFC LNDG ON 26R. APCH CTL HAD US ON A HDG PARALLEL TO 26L BUT OFFSET FROM FINAL BY ABOUT 1 MI TO DECONFLICT WITH 26R ARRS. BY THE TIME WE ENTERED VMC, HAD THE RWY AND THE TFC FOR 26R. WE WERE 2 MI FROM THE END OF THE RWY 1 MI OFFSET. BESIDES BEING BADLY ALIGNED FOR LNDG BY APCH CTL, FUEL WAS TIGHT FOR DIVERT PURPOSES AND THERE WAS A STRONG XWIND (20 KT PLUS) WITH A SLIGHT QUARTERING TAILWIND TO ADD TO THE SIT, KEEPING ALL MEMBERS OF THE CREW OCCUPIED WITH MAKING A SAFE LNDG. TECHNICALLY, VISUAL APCH CONDITIONS EXISTED, BUT THERE WAS A DEFINITE GRAY AREA HERE. SWITCHING TO THE N RWYS PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CAUSED DIVERTS DUE TO LOW FUEL (MANY ACFT WERE HOLDING DUE TO THE DEN WX) BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFER.

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.