First officer's account of problems flying a CAT ii approach into ord.

Attributes
ACN	96581
Time
Date	198810
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	96581
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

CAT ii approaches to 14R at ord were in progress. Thunderstorms, rain showers and lightning were in the area. We were cleared to intercept the localizer at 4000' but the autopilot did not stabilize until just prior to reaching the OM. When the windshield wipers were turned on flags on the instruments momentarily appeared then seemed to disappear when the wipers were turned off. The approach then became normal. At 500', the go around armed light illuminated. At approximately 300', the wipers were turned on again. The flight engineer called out computer flag, but I never heard the flag callout due to the distraction and noise from the wipers. The captain then called that he had it, and took control of the airplane. When I looked outside, the approach lights were off to the right and it appeared that we were lined up with the parallel taxiway. I believed we were in a better position to go around, but the captain, with all his experience, elected to continue the approach and land. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter sent in reports of two incidents see #96567 that analyst though indicated interpersonal relationship in the cockpit but reporter denied any problem. Instrument problem is thought to have been caused by lightning strike and subsequent distraction allowed aircraft to get off localizer slightly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO'S ACCOUNT OF PROBLEMS FLYING A CAT II APCH INTO ORD.

Narrative: CAT II APPROACHES TO 14R AT ORD WERE IN PROGRESS. THUNDERSTORMS, RAIN SHOWERS AND LIGHTNING WERE IN THE AREA. WE WERE CLRED TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AT 4000' BUT THE AUTOPILOT DID NOT STABILIZE UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO REACHING THE OM. WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE TURNED ON FLAGS ON THE INSTRUMENTS MOMENTARILY APPEARED THEN SEEMED TO DISAPPEAR WHEN THE WIPERS WERE TURNED OFF. THE APPROACH THEN BECAME NORMAL. AT 500', THE GO AROUND ARMED LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AT APPROXIMATELY 300', THE WIPERS WERE TURNED ON AGAIN. THE FE CALLED OUT COMPUTER FLAG, BUT I NEVER HEARD THE FLAG CALLOUT DUE TO THE DISTR AND NOISE FROM THE WIPERS. THE CAPTAIN THEN CALLED THAT HE HAD IT, AND TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. WHEN I LOOKED OUTSIDE, THE APPROACH LIGHTS WERE OFF TO THE RIGHT AND IT APPEARED THAT WE WERE LINED UP WITH THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY. I BELIEVED WE WERE IN A BETTER POSITION TO GO AROUND, BUT THE CAPTAIN, WITH ALL HIS EXPERIENCE, ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH AND LAND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER SENT IN REPORTS OF TWO INCIDENTS SEE #96567 THAT ANALYST THOUGH INDICATED INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP IN THE COCKPIT BUT REPORTER DENIED ANY PROBLEM. INSTRUMENT PROBLEM IS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY LIGHTNING STRIKE AND SUBSEQUENT DISTR ALLOWED ACFT TO GET OFF LOC SLIGHTLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.