Narrative:

I had been cleared for the ILS. A line of thunderstorms was approaching the airport but according to my nexrad and onboard weather radar; I would land well before the line reached the airport. I miscalculated. The tower reported windshear on final. The 757 ahead of me declared a missed approach. All the airliners on the ground began requesting shutdown to the tower. Within a few seconds; I hit some rain and turbulence. Nothing severe; but given what all the airliners were doing; I called the tower and told them I wanted to execute a missed approach. They gave me a heading of 090 and 3;000 and suggested the GPS to a nearby airport. I accepted and began to locate the chart. TRACON cleared me for the approach 2 miles from the FAF. I loaded the approach in the GPS and engaged the autopilot. Then I flew into VMC and saw the airport. I began to descend visually. TRACON called and gave me a low altitude alert. I told them I was visual and they handed me off to tower. As I keyed the mike to call tower; I flew into IMC - rain and turbulence. The line of weather enveloped my airplane. I told the tower that while I was VMC; I was now IMC and needed to execute a missed approach. Tower told me to turn to 090 and climb immediately to 3;000 and said 'you've got antennas at 12 o'clock'. I made the turn and climbed immediately. Tower vectored me further east about 25 NM to land uneventfully at a third airport. I never should have accepted the approach to the second airport. I did not have time to prepare. I barely got it loaded into the GPS and I did not have time to study the approach plate. Because I was in VMC; I decide to proceed visually. This was a mistake as weather conditions were changing rapidly and soon enveloped me in IMC. By this time; I was below the proper altitude for the approach and in conflict with terrain (antennas). I should have asked for a vector to a more distant airport (like the third airport) which would have given me time to prepare and shoot a proper approach. I think the intensity of the situation (nearby thunderstorms) and the speed at which the weather was changing affected my judgment. I blindly accepted what the first airport suggested and tried to make it work. Additionally; knowing thunderstorms were approaching my destination; I should have thought through my alternate plan of action beforehand and not waited for ATC to suggest something.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C421 pilot began an approach to a Class B airport only to execute a missed approach because of weather on final. ATC suggested a nearby airport with a GPS approach which the rushed reporter attempted but in IMC descend too low approaching towers and finally landed at a third airport with better weather.

Narrative: I had been cleared for the ILS. A line of thunderstorms was approaching the airport but according to my Nexrad and onboard weather radar; I would land well before the line reached the airport. I miscalculated. The Tower reported windshear on final. The 757 ahead of me declared a missed approach. All the airliners on the ground began requesting shutdown to the Tower. Within a few seconds; I hit some rain and turbulence. Nothing severe; but given what all the airliners were doing; I called the Tower and told them I wanted to execute a missed approach. They gave me a heading of 090 and 3;000 and suggested the GPS to a nearby airport. I accepted and began to locate the chart. TRACON cleared me for the approach 2 miles from the FAF. I loaded the approach in the GPS and engaged the autopilot. Then I flew into VMC and saw the airport. I began to descend visually. TRACON called and gave me a low altitude alert. I told them I was visual and they handed me off to Tower. As I keyed the mike to call Tower; I flew into IMC - rain and turbulence. The line of weather enveloped my airplane. I told the Tower that while I was VMC; I was now IMC and needed to execute a missed approach. Tower told me to turn to 090 and climb immediately to 3;000 and said 'you've got antennas at 12 o'clock'. I made the turn and climbed immediately. Tower vectored me further east about 25 NM to land uneventfully at a third airport. I never should have accepted the approach to the second airport. I did not have time to prepare. I barely got it loaded into the GPS and I did not have time to study the approach plate. Because I was in VMC; I decide to proceed visually. This was a mistake as weather conditions were changing rapidly and soon enveloped me in IMC. By this time; I was below the proper altitude for the approach and in conflict with terrain (antennas). I should have asked for a vector to a more distant airport (like the third airport) which would have given me time to prepare and shoot a proper approach. I think the intensity of the situation (nearby thunderstorms) and the speed at which the weather was changing affected my judgment. I blindly accepted what the first airport suggested and tried to make it work. Additionally; knowing thunderstorms were approaching my destination; I should have thought through my alternate plan of action beforehand and not waited for ATC to suggest something.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.