Atx pilot of a C421 failed to report an encounter with hail during letdown in light rain conditions due to distraction for the safety of the passenger and the concern for the damage caused to the aircraft.

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Attributes
ACN	373915
Time
Date	199707
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lse
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Golden Eagle 421
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zmp
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	373915
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Descending to land at lse in IMC and light rain, the WX suddenly and unexpectedly turned into a small area of hail which took about 5 mins to fly through but did considerable damage to the airplane. Just prior to flying into the hail, ATC asked what my conditions were and I reported light to moderate rain. After the hail encounter, I failed to report this hazardous WX to anyone as I should have. I believe my state of mind knowing that the aircraft had been damaged and my passenger nervous may have led me to clam up and not say anything. I was embarrassed and ashamed. In the future I would hope to put down the feelings and report the hazardous WX as I should for the sake of other aircraft and people.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX PLT OF A C421 FAILED TO RPT AN ENCOUNTER WITH HAIL DURING LETDOWN IN LIGHT RAIN CONDITIONS DUE TO DISTR FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PAX AND THE CONCERN FOR THE DAMAGE CAUSED TO THE ACFT.

Narrative: DSNDING TO LAND AT LSE IN IMC AND LIGHT RAIN, THE WX SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY TURNED INTO A SMALL AREA OF HAIL WHICH TOOK ABOUT 5 MINS TO FLY THROUGH BUT DID CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. JUST PRIOR TO FLYING INTO THE HAIL, ATC ASKED WHAT MY CONDITIONS WERE AND I RPTED LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN. AFTER THE HAIL ENCOUNTER, I FAILED TO RPT THIS HAZARDOUS WX TO ANYONE AS I SHOULD HAVE. I BELIEVE MY STATE OF MIND KNOWING THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN DAMAGED AND MY PAX NERVOUS MAY HAVE LED ME TO CLAM UP AND NOT SAY ANYTHING. I WAS EMBARRASSED AND ASHAMED. IN THE FUTURE I WOULD HOPE TO PUT DOWN THE FEELINGS AND RPT THE HAZARDOUS WX AS I SHOULD FOR THE SAKE OF OTHER ACFT AND PEOPLE.

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.