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An air carrier widebody transport landed in IMC on a visual approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 259414 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199312 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sea |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sea tracon : anu |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual approach : straight in |
| 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 : 210 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 259414 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : second officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 259412 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Radar vectors - high right downwind for runway 34R ATIS: clear - 15 mi wind 020/04 KTS - patchy fog southeast - southwest. Flight conditions: VMC, city airport, runways 34L&right clearly visible. Patchy fog noted well southeast of the airport. During descent, the first officer briefed a visual approach to runway 34R with an ILS back up due to the reported patchy fog. Both pilots subsequently fully configured for the ILS. Approach control vectored us to 3000 ft, and 'report airport in sight'. We reported the airport in sight and were 'cleared'. Visual approach, maintain 3000 ft and 'report airport in sight.' we reported the airport in sight and were cleared visual approach, maintain 3000 ft until on final at 7 DME and contact tower.' we intercepted the GS from above. We were established on a visual approach corresponding to the ILS 34R GS and localizer centered and at approach speed at least by 1200 ft AGL. The airport and runways (including runway end) were clearly in view. The captain noted that there was a fog bank moving across the approach lights south of the runway and to be prepared for it. The first officer transitioned into the instruments to fly the ILS. We went into a thick fog bank at approximately 400 ft AGL (200 ft above minimums) and had the runway environment in sight by the published minimums. We continued to a normal landing, although patchy fog progressively enveloped the touchdown zone. The following aircraft maintained VMC above the fog bank, which resulted in a very steep short final and a long landing. The next aircraft executed an early missed approach (possibly directed), and the active runway direction reversed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR WDB LANDED IN IMC ON A VISUAL APCH.
Narrative: RADAR VECTORS - HIGH R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 34R ATIS: CLEAR - 15 MI WIND 020/04 KTS - PATCHY FOG SE - SW. FLT CONDITIONS: VMC, CITY ARPT, RWYS 34L&R CLEARLY VISIBLE. PATCHY FOG NOTED WELL SE OF THE ARPT. DURING DSCNT, THE FO BRIEFED A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 34R WITH AN ILS BACK UP DUE TO THE RPTED PATCHY FOG. BOTH PLTS SUBSEQUENTLY FULLY CONFIGURED FOR THE ILS. APCH CTL VECTORED US TO 3000 FT, AND 'RPT ARPT IN SIGHT'. WE RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND WERE 'CLRED'. VISUAL APCH, MAINTAIN 3000 FT AND 'RPT ARPT IN SIGHT.' WE RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND WERE CLRED VISUAL APCH, MAINTAIN 3000 FT UNTIL ON FINAL AT 7 DME AND CONTACT TWR.' WE INTERCEPTED THE GS FROM ABOVE. WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON A VISUAL APCH CORRESPONDING TO THE ILS 34R GS AND LOC CENTERED AND AT APCH SPD AT LEAST BY 1200 FT AGL. THE ARPT AND RWYS (INCLUDING RWY END) WERE CLEARLY IN VIEW. THE CAPT NOTED THAT THERE WAS A FOG BANK MOVING ACROSS THE APCH LIGHTS S OF THE RWY AND TO BE PREPARED FOR IT. THE FO TRANSITIONED INTO THE INSTS TO FLY THE ILS. WE WENT INTO A THICK FOG BANK AT APPROX 400 FT AGL (200 FT ABOVE MINIMUMS) AND HAD THE RWY ENVIRONMENT IN SIGHT BY THE PUBLISHED MINIMUMS. WE CONTINUED TO A NORMAL LNDG, ALTHOUGH PATCHY FOG PROGRESSIVELY ENVELOPED THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE. THE FOLLOWING ACFT MAINTAINED VMC ABOVE THE FOG BANK, WHICH RESULTED IN A VERY STEEP SHORT FINAL AND A LONG LNDG. THE NEXT ACFT EXECUTED AN EARLY MISSED APCH (POSSIBLY DIRECTED), AND THE ACTIVE RWY DIRECTION REVERSED.
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.