First officer making approach to aus in heavy WX and crosswinds drifted off localizer course. Captai...

Attributes
ACN	178448
Time
Date	199105
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6100 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	178448
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying back into austin, ATIS revealed there were heavy thunderstorms over the field and in the vicinity. I asked the captain if we could slow down to see what the field conditions were going to do and he said to keep the speed up and continue toward the airport. Approach turned us on to the localizer to fly inbound at approximately 22 mi out. We were told to slow to 170 KTS, which I did as the PF. Tower issued several wind shear alerts and stated that the tower visibility had dropped to 1/2 mi with heavy rain showers. Tracking inbound at 170 KTS, the airspeed indicator suddenly shot up to 225 KTS and the aircraft rose 300'. The airspeed had dropped back off at a gradual rate. Turbulence was severe, but I was able to maintain G/south and localizer as we were now cleared for the ILS approach. At minimums, the aircraft was blown to the right side of the localizer past window tolerances. I was using an 8 degree bank to maneuver back toward the runway, but the track was not correcting. The captain said, 'I have control.' and I relinquished the aircraft to him. Target speed, we had calculated to be 140 KTS. As I relinquished control, I glanced down at the radar and there was no going around, as the screen showed pretty much solid red in the departure path. Tower gave us several wind shear alerts as we approached the runway. The captain wrestled with the aircraft and got it over the centerline and on the ground, with what I estimated to be 1000' of white runway edge lights remaining. He immediately went to 1-8 reverse EPR and applied full braking pressure and brought the aircraft to a stop at the end of the runway. Tower asked if we needed any help and the captain told me to reply, 'no.' later that night, the captain asked what my thoughts were on the event and I replied, 'I would take a more conservative approach to WX.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO MAKING APCH TO AUS IN HEAVY WX AND CROSSWINDS DRIFTED OFF LOCALIZER COURSE. CAPT TOOK OVER AND WRESTLED THE ACFT ONTO THE RWY, MANAGING TO LAND AND STOP WITH LITTLE RWY LEFT. FO OPINION THAT CAPT SHOULD TAKE MORE CONSERVATIVE APCH TO SEVERE WX.

Narrative: FLYING BACK INTO AUSTIN, ATIS REVEALED THERE WERE HEAVY TSTMS OVER THE FIELD AND IN THE VICINITY. I ASKED THE CAPT IF WE COULD SLOW DOWN TO SEE WHAT THE FIELD CONDITIONS WERE GOING TO DO AND HE SAID TO KEEP THE SPD UP AND CONTINUE TOWARD THE ARPT. APCH TURNED US ON TO THE LOC TO FLY INBND AT APPROX 22 MI OUT. WE WERE TOLD TO SLOW TO 170 KTS, WHICH I DID AS THE PF. TWR ISSUED SEVERAL WIND SHEAR ALERTS AND STATED THAT THE TWR VISIBILITY HAD DROPPED TO 1/2 MI WITH HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS. TRACKING INBND AT 170 KTS, THE AIRSPD INDICATOR SUDDENLY SHOT UP TO 225 KTS AND THE ACFT ROSE 300'. THE AIRSPD HAD DROPPED BACK OFF AT A GRADUAL RATE. TURB WAS SEVERE, BUT I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN G/S AND LOC AS WE WERE NOW CLRED FOR THE ILS APCH. AT MINIMUMS, THE ACFT WAS BLOWN TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LOC PAST WINDOW TOLERANCES. I WAS USING AN 8 DEG BANK TO MANEUVER BACK TOWARD THE RWY, BUT THE TRACK WAS NOT CORRECTING. THE CAPT SAID, 'I HAVE CTL.' AND I RELINQUISHED THE ACFT TO HIM. TARGET SPD, WE HAD CALCULATED TO BE 140 KTS. AS I RELINQUISHED CTL, I GLANCED DOWN AT THE RADAR AND THERE WAS NO GOING AROUND, AS THE SCREEN SHOWED PRETTY MUCH SOLID RED IN THE DEP PATH. TWR GAVE US SEVERAL WIND SHEAR ALERTS AS WE APCHED THE RWY. THE CAPT WRESTLED WITH THE ACFT AND GOT IT OVER THE CENTERLINE AND ON THE GND, WITH WHAT I ESTIMATED TO BE 1000' OF WHITE RWY EDGE LIGHTS REMAINING. HE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO 1-8 REVERSE EPR AND APPLIED FULL BRAKING PRESSURE AND BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A STOP AT THE END OF THE RWY. TWR ASKED IF WE NEEDED ANY HELP AND THE CAPT TOLD ME TO REPLY, 'NO.' LATER THAT NIGHT, THE CAPT ASKED WHAT MY THOUGHTS WERE ON THE EVENT AND I REPLIED, 'I WOULD TAKE A MORE CONSERVATIVE APCH TO WX.'

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.

First officer making approach to aus in heavy WX and crosswinds drifted off localizer course. Captain took over and wrestled the aircraft onto the runway, managing to land and stop with little runway left. First officer opinion that captain should take more conservative approach to severe WX.