A320 crew had adverse WX and thunderstorms on approach to MMMX.

Attributes
ACN	521275
Time
Date	200108
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mmmx.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Rain Turbulence Windshear other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mmmx.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 5r other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time type : 2646
ASRS Report	521275
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed go around other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Routine flight to mex. Set up for runway 5R ILS and as we crossed smo, ATC directed us to fly direct mex VOR, runway change in progress. About 5-6 mi northeast of mex VOR a thunderstorm was moving southwest toward airport. ATC kept us too high when they turned us in for runway 23 and we elected to go around. ATC revectored us to runway 23 and now thunderstorm approximately 4 mi northeast of airport. We cheated just a tad on the vector to avoid thunderstorm (heavy rain and some hail) and encountered 30-45 KT tailwind with moderate turbulence as we turned final and elected to continue descent to stay VFR, but left gear up with intention of going around again and getting away from thunderstorm. We descended to approximately 700 ft AGL and GPWS, too low gear triggered. We overflew airport on missed and ATC told us that another runway change was in progress. We were vectored back to smo and set up for runway 5R ILS and landed with thunderstorm now over departure end of runway. As we slowed through approximately 80 KTS, the windshear alert sounded. As we taxied to gate, thunderstorm came overhead with heavy rain and light hail and approximately 40-45 KT gusts. Interesting day. Being very familiar with mex was a help. Everything was reasonably smooth and rethinking the situation I would not have done anything differently.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW HAD ADVERSE WX AND TSTMS ON APCH TO MMMX.

Narrative: ROUTINE FLT TO MEX. SET UP FOR RWY 5R ILS AND AS WE CROSSED SMO, ATC DIRECTED US TO FLY DIRECT MEX VOR, RWY CHANGE IN PROGRESS. ABOUT 5-6 MI NE OF MEX VOR A TSTM WAS MOVING SW TOWARD ARPT. ATC KEPT US TOO HIGH WHEN THEY TURNED US IN FOR RWY 23 AND WE ELECTED TO GO AROUND. ATC REVECTORED US TO RWY 23 AND NOW TSTM APPROX 4 MI NE OF ARPT. WE CHEATED JUST A TAD ON THE VECTOR TO AVOID TSTM (HVY RAIN AND SOME HAIL) AND ENCOUNTERED 30-45 KT TAILWIND WITH MODERATE TURB AS WE TURNED FINAL AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE DSCNT TO STAY VFR, BUT LEFT GEAR UP WITH INTENTION OF GOING AROUND AGAIN AND GETTING AWAY FROM TSTM. WE DSNDED TO APPROX 700 FT AGL AND GPWS, TOO LOW GEAR TRIGGERED. WE OVERFLEW ARPT ON MISSED AND ATC TOLD US THAT ANOTHER RWY CHANGE WAS IN PROGRESS. WE WERE VECTORED BACK TO SMO AND SET UP FOR RWY 5R ILS AND LANDED WITH TSTM NOW OVER DEP END OF RWY. AS WE SLOWED THROUGH APPROX 80 KTS, THE WINDSHEAR ALERT SOUNDED. AS WE TAXIED TO GATE, TSTM CAME OVERHEAD WITH HVY RAIN AND LIGHT HAIL AND APPROX 40-45 KT GUSTS. INTERESTING DAY. BEING VERY FAMILIAR WITH MEX WAS A HELP. EVERYTHING WAS REASONABLY SMOOTH AND RETHINKING THE SIT I WOULD NOT HAVE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY.

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.