MD80 declares emergency and returns to departure airport after encountering hail; heavy rain and los...

Attributes
ACN	719018
Time
Date	200611
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Rain Ice other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	719018
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	719017
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Encountered moderate to heavy rain in climb out at about 12000 ft. At about 15000 ft ATC advised of a band of WX ahead and I responded we were in it already. At this point the WX radar was indicating red all around as it had been since right after takeoff. We entered an area of hail and rain at that time and made a shallow left turn to the shortest direction through the WX according to our radar. As that was completed we lost the radar and experienced a very loud air noise in the cockpit. I also noticed the captain's airspeed was about 10 KTS less than the standby or first officer's speeds. I requested a return to XXX and declared the emergency. We landed at 151000 pounds with about 150 FPM descent and smoothly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 DECLARES EMER AND RETURNS TO DEP ARPT AFTER ENCOUNTERING HAIL; HVY RAIN AND LOSS OF WX RADAR.

Narrative: ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO HVY RAIN IN CLBOUT AT ABOUT 12000 FT. AT ABOUT 15000 FT ATC ADVISED OF A BAND OF WX AHEAD AND I RESPONDED WE WERE IN IT ALREADY. AT THIS POINT THE WX RADAR WAS INDICATING RED ALL AROUND AS IT HAD BEEN SINCE RIGHT AFTER TKOF. WE ENTERED AN AREA OF HAIL AND RAIN AT THAT TIME AND MADE A SHALLOW L TURN TO THE SHORTEST DIRECTION THROUGH THE WX ACCORDING TO OUR RADAR. AS THAT WAS COMPLETED WE LOST THE RADAR AND EXPERIENCED A VERY LOUD AIR NOISE IN THE COCKPIT. I ALSO NOTICED THE CAPT'S AIRSPD WAS ABOUT 10 KTS LESS THAN THE STANDBY OR FO'S SPDS. I REQUESTED A RETURN TO XXX AND DECLARED THE EMER. WE LANDED AT 151000 LBS WITH ABOUT 150 FPM DSCNT AND SMOOTHLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

MD80 declares emergency and returns to departure airport after encountering hail; heavy rain and loss of WX radar.