Narrative:

Thunderstorms and their associated WX conditions wreaked havoc on the oklahoma city area over the wkend of may/xx/93. It was my unfortunate 'luck' to have been flying frequent trips in that area that wkend. On may/xx/93, oklahoma city received 7.06 inches of rain which stranded people and vehicles, caused injuries and death -- mainly the result of 1 WX system containing thunderstorms and tornadoes. This report is one in which I'd like to complement all the people concerned -- everyone from the tower, approach and flying personnel who did their jobs and utilized their training possibly averting disaster. In other words, the system worked. As we approached the airport from the east, the WX system was approaching from the west. It appeared as though the airplane would win the race as we received 2 special ATIS reports: 'XX00Z special: M 9 V broken 14 overcast 7 thunderstorm 64-61 350/11 2965 ILS 35R.' 'XX35Z special: M 7 V overcast 10 thunderstorm 60-58 030/10 2967 ILS 35R.' although the thunderstorm was reported on the ATIS, both airborne radar and ATC showed the storm west of the airport. ATC continuously advised us as to the movement of the storm and we discussed possible wind shear amongst the pilots. All conditions for a safe approach, however, appeared to exist. We missed the first approach due to a very tight turn onto the ILS exaggerated by variable winds at 1500 ft AGL. On the second attempt, the WX was close to the airport and, as we intercepted the GS at 160 KTS, 2700 ft MSL, our airspeed increased to 230 KTS. We immediately executed a missed approach, approach control provided us vectors clear of WX, and center provided holding instructions for us that kept us VMC. Everyone did their jobs well and provided a very good safety margin. We eventually diverted to another airport and returned to oklahoma city some 4 hours later when the storm finally moved on. The FAA's emphasis on wind shear detection, avoidance, and inadvertent penetration maneuvers served us well in this instance. It's nice to know that the training does pay it dividends in life and equipment savings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ENCOUNTERS SEVERE WX, WIND SHEAR. AFTER 2 MISSED APCHS, DIVERTS.

Narrative: TSTMS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED WX CONDITIONS WREAKED HAVOC ON THE OKLAHOMA CITY AREA OVER THE WKEND OF MAY/XX/93. IT WAS MY UNFORTUNATE 'LUCK' TO HAVE BEEN FLYING FREQUENT TRIPS IN THAT AREA THAT WKEND. ON MAY/XX/93, OKLAHOMA CITY RECEIVED 7.06 INCHES OF RAIN WHICH STRANDED PEOPLE AND VEHICLES, CAUSED INJURIES AND DEATH -- MAINLY THE RESULT OF 1 WX SYS CONTAINING TSTMS AND TORNADOES. THIS RPT IS ONE IN WHICH I'D LIKE TO COMPLEMENT ALL THE PEOPLE CONCERNED -- EVERYONE FROM THE TWR, APCH AND FLYING PERSONNEL WHO DID THEIR JOBS AND UTILIZED THEIR TRAINING POSSIBLY AVERTING DISASTER. IN OTHER WORDS, THE SYS WORKED. AS WE APCHED THE ARPT FROM THE E, THE WX SYS WAS APCHING FROM THE W. IT APPEARED AS THOUGH THE AIRPLANE WOULD WIN THE RACE AS WE RECEIVED 2 SPECIAL ATIS RPTS: 'XX00Z SPECIAL: M 9 V BROKEN 14 OVCST 7 TSTM 64-61 350/11 2965 ILS 35R.' 'XX35Z SPECIAL: M 7 V OVCST 10 TSTM 60-58 030/10 2967 ILS 35R.' ALTHOUGH THE TSTM WAS RPTED ON THE ATIS, BOTH AIRBORNE RADAR AND ATC SHOWED THE STORM W OF THE ARPT. ATC CONTINUOUSLY ADVISED US AS TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE STORM AND WE DISCUSSED POSSIBLE WIND SHEAR AMONGST THE PLTS. ALL CONDITIONS FOR A SAFE APCH, HOWEVER, APPEARED TO EXIST. WE MISSED THE FIRST APCH DUE TO A VERY TIGHT TURN ONTO THE ILS EXAGGERATED BY VARIABLE WINDS AT 1500 FT AGL. ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT, THE WX WAS CLOSE TO THE ARPT AND, AS WE INTERCEPTED THE GS AT 160 KTS, 2700 FT MSL, OUR AIRSPD INCREASED TO 230 KTS. WE IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A MISSED APCH, APCH CTL PROVIDED US VECTORS CLR OF WX, AND CTR PROVIDED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR US THAT KEPT US VMC. EVERYONE DID THEIR JOBS WELL AND PROVIDED A VERY GOOD SAFETY MARGIN. WE EVENTUALLY DIVERTED TO ANOTHER ARPT AND RETURNED TO OKLAHOMA CITY SOME 4 HRS LATER WHEN THE STORM FINALLY MOVED ON. THE FAA'S EMPHASIS ON WIND SHEAR DETECTION, AVOIDANCE, AND INADVERTENT PENETRATION MANEUVERS SERVED US WELL IN THIS INSTANCE. IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT THE TRAINING DOES PAY IT DIVIDENDS IN LIFE AND EQUIP SAVINGS.

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.