Narrative:

On a scheduled flight from dfw to mci, WX was reported at mci. We were arriving via the south arrival over chanute, ks. At the arrival time on mci approach, the field was no longer accepting approachs. We were at 11000 ft and sent to hold 15 DME south of napoleon VOR. We had approximately 1 plus 25 hours (total 18500 pounds) of holding fuel before we had to divert using stl as alternate. After holding 25-30 mins, we were advised that the field was clearing rapidly by tower. Approach advised and we confirmed by radar an area of about 30 mi wide with minimal returns northwest of our position that would allow a transit to the northwest of mci airport and allow an approach to runway 19R. We were in VFR conditions at the time and climbed to 17000 ft to clear some buildups. As we transited we continued our climb to 21000 ft. We started encountering moderate turbulence and severe intervals before we even detected anything close ahead on radar. We elected to turn left and depart on a 150 degree heading. During the turn we encountered waves of turbulence. Heavy rain and hail. We broke back out into the clear after descending to 15000 ft southeast of mci. Airspeed was 250-270 during the whole time. The autoplt disconnected 2 times and the last half of the turn and exit was hand flown. After discussions with approach as to the chain of events, a visual clear area (ground contact) was sighted southwest of our position. This area was transited visually while descending to 6000 MSL then 3000 MSL over topeka, ks, and VFR to kansas city international for an uneventful visual approach to 19R. Post-flight inspection revealed damage to the aircraft radome. Except for motion sickness, no passenger complaints were received at that time. Lesson learned: 1) stay farther away from storms that are still building. 2) ensure larger escape path. 3) take the long way around. Supplemental information from acn 220332: approach control noted there was an area that was clearing to the northwest of our position. We entered the area that on our radar looked like light rain. If this situation comes up again, I would like to have had more than 20 mi on either side, because once we made the turn, we came just that much closer to the cell. Maybe that's why we encountered the hail damage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DAMAGED AFTER INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH SEVERE TURB AND HAIL ASSOCIATED WITH TSTM ACTIVITY.

Narrative: ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM DFW TO MCI, WX WAS RPTED AT MCI. WE WERE ARRIVING VIA THE S ARR OVER CHANUTE, KS. AT THE ARR TIME ON MCI APCH, THE FIELD WAS NO LONGER ACCEPTING APCHS. WE WERE AT 11000 FT AND SENT TO HOLD 15 DME S OF NAPOLEON VOR. WE HAD APPROX 1 PLUS 25 HRS (TOTAL 18500 POUNDS) OF HOLDING FUEL BEFORE WE HAD TO DIVERT USING STL AS ALTERNATE. AFTER HOLDING 25-30 MINS, WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE FIELD WAS CLRING RAPIDLY BY TWR. APCH ADVISED AND WE CONFIRMED BY RADAR AN AREA OF ABOUT 30 MI WIDE WITH MINIMAL RETURNS NW OF OUR POS THAT WOULD ALLOW A TRANSIT TO THE NW OF MCI ARPT AND ALLOW AN APCH TO RWY 19R. WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS AT THE TIME AND CLBED TO 17000 FT TO CLR SOME BUILDUPS. AS WE TRANSITED WE CONTINUED OUR CLB TO 21000 FT. WE STARTED ENCOUNTERING MODERATE TURB AND SEVERE INTERVALS BEFORE WE EVEN DETECTED ANYTHING CLOSE AHEAD ON RADAR. WE ELECTED TO TURN L AND DEPART ON A 150 DEG HDG. DURING THE TURN WE ENCOUNTERED WAVES OF TURB. HVY RAIN AND HAIL. WE BROKE BACK OUT INTO THE CLR AFTER DSNDING TO 15000 FT SE OF MCI. AIRSPD WAS 250-270 DURING THE WHOLE TIME. THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED 2 TIMES AND THE LAST HALF OF THE TURN AND EXIT WAS HAND FLOWN. AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH APCH AS TO THE CHAIN OF EVENTS, A VISUAL CLR AREA (GND CONTACT) WAS SIGHTED SW OF OUR POS. THIS AREA WAS TRANSITED VISUALLY WHILE DSNDING TO 6000 MSL THEN 3000 MSL OVER TOPEKA, KS, AND VFR TO KANSAS CITY INTL FOR AN UNEVENTFUL VISUAL APCH TO 19R. POST-FLT INSPECTION REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE ACFT RADOME. EXCEPT FOR MOTION SICKNESS, NO PAX COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED AT THAT TIME. LESSON LEARNED: 1) STAY FARTHER AWAY FROM STORMS THAT ARE STILL BUILDING. 2) ENSURE LARGER ESCAPE PATH. 3) TAKE THE LONG WAY AROUND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 220332: APCH CTL NOTED THERE WAS AN AREA THAT WAS CLRING TO THE NW OF OUR POS. WE ENTERED THE AREA THAT ON OUR RADAR LOOKED LIKE LIGHT RAIN. IF THIS SITUATION COMES UP AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HAD MORE THAN 20 MI ON EITHER SIDE, BECAUSE ONCE WE MADE THE TURN, WE CAME JUST THAT MUCH CLOSER TO THE CELL. MAYBE THAT'S WHY WE ENCOUNTERED THE HAIL DAMAGE.

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.