Narrative:

As we were being vectored for approach, it became apparent that a small line of WX was approaching the field. We watched on radar as the level 2 and 3 storms approached. We asked approach what field conditions were. They were still VFR and light rain, some thunder. Another plane on final ahead of us reported a smooth ride all the down final. The vector to approach was poor. We crossed the marker 1 DOT off localizer. At 1000 ft AGL we were still trying to get back on localizer when the airspeed increased and GS went to full down. First officer was flying and initiated a go around. We climbed straight ahead to 2300 ft MSL on our way to 3000 ft. We were cleaned up. Airspeed had increased to approximately 240 KTS due to shear. At this point, airspeed decreased to 190 KTS, 10 KTS below vzf. Stall warning and stick shaker activated. We put power up to go around thrust or more. Pitch attitude was approximately 0 degrees to 5 degrees down. Altitude was decreasing and airspeed was stable at 200 KTS. Any increase in pitch brought on stall shaker. We stopped descent at 1600 MSL. Flight continued normally. We waited to the west of airport until WX had passed. We made a visual approach and normal landing. Had we been on localizer and GS and continued approach with landing confign. I don't believe we would have been able to recover. Simulator training was very useful in this situation. For a relatively small rain shower, we received a 50 KT loss of airspeed and 700 ft loss of altitude. A real eye-opener.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG EXPERIENCES SEVERE WIND SHEAR AND RECOVERS BY ABANDONING THE APCH.

Narrative: AS WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR APCH, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT A SMALL LINE OF WX WAS APCHING THE FIELD. WE WATCHED ON RADAR AS THE LEVEL 2 AND 3 STORMS APCHED. WE ASKED APCH WHAT FIELD CONDITIONS WERE. THEY WERE STILL VFR AND LIGHT RAIN, SOME THUNDER. ANOTHER PLANE ON FINAL AHEAD OF US RPTED A SMOOTH RIDE ALL THE DOWN FINAL. THE VECTOR TO APCH WAS POOR. WE CROSSED THE MARKER 1 DOT OFF LOC. AT 1000 FT AGL WE WERE STILL TRYING TO GET BACK ON LOC WHEN THE AIRSPD INCREASED AND GS WENT TO FULL DOWN. FO WAS FLYING AND INITIATED A GAR. WE CLBED STRAIGHT AHEAD TO 2300 FT MSL ON OUR WAY TO 3000 FT. WE WERE CLEANED UP. AIRSPD HAD INCREASED TO APPROX 240 KTS DUE TO SHEAR. AT THIS POINT, AIRSPD DECREASED TO 190 KTS, 10 KTS BELOW VZF. STALL WARNING AND STICK SHAKER ACTIVATED. WE PUT PWR UP TO GAR THRUST OR MORE. PITCH ATTITUDE WAS APPROX 0 DEGS TO 5 DEGS DOWN. ALT WAS DECREASING AND AIRSPD WAS STABLE AT 200 KTS. ANY INCREASE IN PITCH BROUGHT ON STALL SHAKER. WE STOPPED DSCNT AT 1600 MSL. FLT CONTINUED NORMALLY. WE WAITED TO THE W OF ARPT UNTIL WX HAD PASSED. WE MADE A VISUAL APCH AND NORMAL LNDG. HAD WE BEEN ON LOC AND GS AND CONTINUED APCH WITH LNDG CONFIGN. I DON'T BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RECOVER. SIMULATOR TRAINING WAS VERY USEFUL IN THIS SIT. FOR A RELATIVELY SMALL RAIN SHOWER, WE RECEIVED A 50 KT LOSS OF AIRSPD AND 700 FT LOSS OF ALT. A REAL EYE-OPENER.

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.