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At approach and maneuvering speed, being vectored for approach to atl, flight crew of medium large transport encountered heavy rain and violent downdraft. Aircraft lost 400' before recovery could be accomplished.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 178204 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199105 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : atl |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3100 msl bound upper : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : atl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 350 |
| ASRS Report | 178204 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : regained aircraft control |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
We were being vectored downwind proceeding west, past airport. Went 10-15 mi west prior to being turned back in, in sequence with other aircraft. Dense area of WX on our radar about 10 west of airport. All flts were maneuvering through with rain and some turbulence. Airport was in the clear. I was hand-flying the aircraft, descending to 3500' assigned, slowing to 170 KTS. As we leveled, we entered WX and also were given new heading to turn right from 270 to 360 degrees. We encountered very heavy rain, and aircraft mushed down to 3100' before I could catch it with power and pitch. At occurrence there was almost no turbulence. Climbed immediately to 3500', reported downdraft and continued approach. First officer never called altitude loss. Perhaps was as surprised as I. Want to assert that recovery was initiated as soon as loss was detected, but still lost 400'.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AT APCH AND MANEUVERING SPEED, BEING VECTORED FOR APCH TO ATL, FLT CREW OF MLG ENCOUNTERED HEAVY RAIN AND VIOLENT DOWNDRAFT. ACFT LOST 400' BEFORE RECOVERY COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED.
Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED DOWNWIND PROCEEDING W, PAST ARPT. WENT 10-15 MI W PRIOR TO BEING TURNED BACK IN, IN SEQUENCE WITH OTHER ACFT. DENSE AREA OF WX ON OUR RADAR ABOUT 10 W OF ARPT. ALL FLTS WERE MANEUVERING THROUGH WITH RAIN AND SOME TURB. ARPT WAS IN THE CLR. I WAS HAND-FLYING THE ACFT, DSNDING TO 3500' ASSIGNED, SLOWING TO 170 KTS. AS WE LEVELED, WE ENTERED WX AND ALSO WERE GIVEN NEW HDG TO TURN RIGHT FROM 270 TO 360 DEGS. WE ENCOUNTERED VERY HEAVY RAIN, AND ACFT MUSHED DOWN TO 3100' BEFORE I COULD CATCH IT WITH PWR AND PITCH. AT OCCURRENCE THERE WAS ALMOST NO TURB. CLBED IMMEDIATELY TO 3500', RPTED DOWNDRAFT AND CONTINUED APCH. F/O NEVER CALLED ALT LOSS. PERHAPS WAS AS SURPRISED AS I. WANT TO ASSERT THAT RECOVERY WAS INITIATED AS SOON AS LOSS WAS DETECTED, BUT STILL LOST 400'.
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.