Aircraft damaged after in-flight encounter with hail.

Attributes
ACN	186837
Time
Date	199108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 59
ASRS Report	186837
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While in descent for landing into denver, we descended just into the base of a cumulus cloud formation. Radar depicted no echoes until we had already entered the WX area. There was some fracto-cumulus in the base area which we were attempting to descend over but under the actual base of the cumulus build-up. As we descended there was some limited moisture in the form of rain. Suddenly we encountered (what had to be) hail for a short duration. Of course it seemed like an eternity but in actuality, our penetration of the moisture area may have lasted for up to 30 seconds. It seemed that we were passing through heavy rain. As we exited the WX area we noted that the erosion caps on the tip tanks had been fragmented and pieces were missing. After landing, we also noted that the radar dome had sustained additional damage which had to be repaired. We suspect a small hail shaft developed as we entered the area since no echoes were apparent on radar except upon entry of the WX area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DAMAGED AFTER INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH HAIL.

Narrative: WHILE IN DSCNT FOR LNDG INTO DENVER, WE DSNDED JUST INTO THE BASE OF A CUMULUS CLOUD FORMATION. RADAR DEPICTED NO ECHOES UNTIL WE HAD ALREADY ENTERED THE WX AREA. THERE WAS SOME FRACTO-CUMULUS IN THE BASE AREA WHICH WE WERE ATTEMPTING TO DSND OVER BUT UNDER THE ACTUAL BASE OF THE CUMULUS BUILD-UP. AS WE DSNDED THERE WAS SOME LIMITED MOISTURE IN THE FORM OF RAIN. SUDDENLY WE ENCOUNTERED (WHAT HAD TO BE) HAIL FOR A SHORT DURATION. OF COURSE IT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY BUT IN ACTUALITY, OUR PENETRATION OF THE MOISTURE AREA MAY HAVE LASTED FOR UP TO 30 SECONDS. IT SEEMED THAT WE WERE PASSING THROUGH HVY RAIN. AS WE EXITED THE WX AREA WE NOTED THAT THE EROSION CAPS ON THE TIP TANKS HAD BEEN FRAGMENTED AND PIECES WERE MISSING. AFTER LNDG, WE ALSO NOTED THAT THE RADAR DOME HAD SUSTAINED ADDITIONAL DAMAGE WHICH HAD TO BE REPAIRED. WE SUSPECT A SMALL HAIL SHAFT DEVELOPED AS WE ENTERED THE AREA SINCE NO ECHOES WERE APPARENT ON RADAR EXCEPT UPON ENTRY OF THE WX AREA.

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.