Unsuccessful backcourse instrument approach. Missed approach.

Attributes
ACN	122612
Time
Date	198909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 2700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt tower : clt tower : nre
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	122612
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was the PNF. We were approaching the airport on the magic arrival. WX radar was operational and began to depict a rather large area of developing thunderstorms. We were taken off the arrival to deviate around the thunderstorms. I was assisting captain with radar, visibility and radios. We intercepted the approach course and were cleared to maintain 2700' MSL until established. The FAF was lecar with a 2700' crossing on the intermediate leg of the approach. We intercepted and were 2 mi outside lecar when I told the captain we were low for lecar. We had in fact descended to 2400' MSL. He stopped the descent until lecar and we began descent to 1220'. At about 2 mi inside lecar we went into a wall of water with heavy rain. I was calling out the requested deviation, but we continued to s-turn down the localizer. We were now level at minimums when we had a full scale deflection. We went missed approach and went VFR on the missed. The PF was trying to fly and look out. Both obviously should not be attempted in IMC conditions, especially in heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNSUCCESSFUL BACKCOURSE INSTRUMENT APCH. MISSED APCH.

Narrative: I WAS THE PNF. WE WERE APCHING THE ARPT ON THE MAGIC ARR. WX RADAR WAS OPERATIONAL AND BEGAN TO DEPICT A RATHER LARGE AREA OF DEVELOPING TSTMS. WE WERE TAKEN OFF THE ARR TO DEVIATE AROUND THE TSTMS. I WAS ASSISTING CAPT WITH RADAR, VIS AND RADIOS. WE INTERCEPTED THE APCH COURSE AND WERE CLRED TO MAINTAIN 2700' MSL UNTIL ESTABLISHED. THE FAF WAS LECAR WITH A 2700' XING ON THE INTERMEDIATE LEG OF THE APCH. WE INTERCEPTED AND WERE 2 MI OUTSIDE LECAR WHEN I TOLD THE CAPT WE WERE LOW FOR LECAR. WE HAD IN FACT DSNDED TO 2400' MSL. HE STOPPED THE DSCNT UNTIL LECAR AND WE BEGAN DSCNT TO 1220'. AT ABOUT 2 MI INSIDE LECAR WE WENT INTO A WALL OF WATER WITH HVY RAIN. I WAS CALLING OUT THE REQUESTED DEVIATION, BUT WE CONTINUED TO S-TURN DOWN THE LOC. WE WERE NOW LEVEL AT MINIMUMS WHEN WE HAD A FULL SCALE DEFLECTION. WE WENT MISSED APCH AND WENT VFR ON THE MISSED. THE PF WAS TRYING TO FLY AND LOOK OUT. BOTH OBVIOUSLY SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED IN IMC CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY IN HEAVY RAIN AND TSTMS.

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.