An air carrier medium large transport was forced to go around from a crosswind approach.

Attributes
ACN	257888
Time
Date	199311
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : isp
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : isp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 195 flight time total : 24325 flight time type : 895
ASRS Report	257888
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

In sum: an air carrier medium large transport first officer reports that the anemometer at isp had been OTS for a period of weeks. The tower was using the wind sock to estimate the wind. It is a 17 KT windsock, and anything above 17 KTS is a real guess. The reporter found himself making an approach with winds reported to be 140 degrees, 25 gusting to 35. This was right at the maximum crosswind component for the long runway. After abandoning the 1ST approach to the long runway, the crew made a successful approach and landing on the short runway, into the wind. This was when the crew found out about the broken anemometer. The reporter questions why it takes weeks for the anemometer to be fixed, and why there was no NOTAM published on this situation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter called the FAA safety hot line and talked to his union's local area representative. The reporter does not know it the anemometer has been fixed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG WAS FORCED TO GAR FROM A XWIND APCH.

Narrative: IN SUM: AN ACR MLG FO RPTS THAT THE ANEMOMETER AT ISP HAD BEEN OTS FOR A PERIOD OF WKS. THE TWR WAS USING THE WIND SOCK TO ESTIMATE THE WIND. IT IS A 17 KT WINDSOCK, AND ANYTHING ABOVE 17 KTS IS A REAL GUESS. THE RPTR FOUND HIMSELF MAKING AN APCH WITH WINDS RPTED TO BE 140 DEGS, 25 GUSTING TO 35. THIS WAS RIGHT AT THE MAX XWIND COMPONENT FOR THE LONG RWY. AFTER ABANDONING THE 1ST APCH TO THE LONG RWY, THE CREW MADE A SUCCESSFUL APCH AND LNDG ON THE SHORT RWY, INTO THE WIND. THIS WAS WHEN THE CREW FOUND OUT ABOUT THE BROKEN ANEMOMETER. THE RPTR QUESTIONS WHY IT TAKES WKS FOR THE ANEMOMETER TO BE FIXED, AND WHY THERE WAS NO NOTAM PUBLISHED ON THIS SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR CALLED THE FAA SAFETY HOT LINE AND TALKED TO HIS UNION'S LCL AREA REPRESENTATIVE. THE RPTR DOES NOT KNOW IT THE ANEMOMETER HAS BEEN FIXED.

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.