Narrative:

How the problem arose: the WX was up and down 200 1/2 - 1/4 as fog was moving in and around in patchy areas. The fact that the fog was patchy and thin gave good visibility of the runway at times. The approach was an ILS and you could see the runway at times, as we approached minimums. It is my belief the pilot looked up and saw the runway and thought he could land. He then lost sight of the runway and started a go around. As the aircraft rotated, it struck the ground monetarily. We completed the missed approach and returned to palmer safely. I believe with the effect of lead-in high intensity strobe lights, and the patchy fog, the PF experienced an illusion as to being able to land. Also the fact the fog was moving did not help. In air carrier operations, this should not have occurred. The PF would remain on instruments, until the copilot called position runway environment in sight. I believe this could be a serious problem for pilots flying single pilot IFR operations, because of this effect.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG LNDG IN PATCHY FOG ENA, LOSES VISUAL CONTACT WITH SURFACE ON VERY SHORT FINAL AND CONTACT RWY DURING MISSED APCH.

Narrative: HOW THE PROB AROSE: THE WX WAS UP AND DOWN 200 1/2 - 1/4 AS FOG WAS MOVING IN AND AROUND IN PATCHY AREAS. THE FACT THAT THE FOG WAS PATCHY AND THIN GAVE GOOD VISIBILITY OF THE RWY AT TIMES. THE APCH WAS AN ILS AND YOU COULD SEE THE RWY AT TIMES, AS WE APCHED MINIMUMS. IT IS MY BELIEF THE PLT LOOKED UP AND SAW THE RWY AND THOUGHT HE COULD LAND. HE THEN LOST SIGHT OF THE RWY AND STARTED A GAR. AS THE ACFT ROTATED, IT STRUCK THE GND MONETARILY. WE COMPLETED THE MISSED APCH AND RETURNED TO PALMER SAFELY. I BELIEVE WITH THE EFFECT OF LEAD-IN HIGH INTENSITY STROBE LIGHTS, AND THE PATCHY FOG, THE PF EXPERIENCED AN ILLUSION AS TO BEING ABLE TO LAND. ALSO THE FACT THE FOG WAS MOVING DID NOT HELP. IN ACR OPS, THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. THE PF WOULD REMAIN ON INSTS, UNTIL THE COPLT CALLED POS RWY ENVIRONMENT IN SIGHT. I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS PROB FOR PLTS FLYING SINGLE PLT IFR OPS, BECAUSE OF THIS EFFECT.

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.