Go around and missed approach in rain and low visibility.

Attributes
ACN	281312
Time
Date	199408
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 150 agl bound upper : 150
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jfk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 235 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1045
ASRS Report	281312
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The copilot was flying an ILS, flight director approach to runway 4L at jfk. Reported WX, 400 ft overcast, 2 1/2 mi visibility, wind 010 degrees at 14 KTS, gusting to 25 KTS, in rain. I used rain clear prior to the approach. The windshield wipers were turned on about 300 ft and I called what I thought was the runway, in sight at 250 ft. At minimums we started to drift left off course, I looked out again and saw an aircraft on the ground ahead, took control of the aircraft and initiated a go around to a missed approach. Looking back I should have planned for less visibility due to rain (reduced peripheral vision through wipers), utilizing the autoplt, monitored approach procedure. On the second approach the aircraft ahead reported 40 KT winds at 400 ft with tower winds of 14 KTS at the surface. We broke out at 550 ft with a much clrer picture of the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GAR AND MISSED APCH IN RAIN AND LOW VISIBILITY.

Narrative: THE COPLT WAS FLYING AN ILS, FLT DIRECTOR APCH TO RWY 4L AT JFK. RPTED WX, 400 FT OVCST, 2 1/2 MI VISIBILITY, WIND 010 DEGS AT 14 KTS, GUSTING TO 25 KTS, IN RAIN. I USED RAIN CLR PRIOR TO THE APCH. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE TURNED ON ABOUT 300 FT AND I CALLED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE RWY, IN SIGHT AT 250 FT. AT MINIMUMS WE STARTED TO DRIFT L OFF COURSE, I LOOKED OUT AGAIN AND SAW AN ACFT ON THE GND AHEAD, TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND INITIATED A GAR TO A MISSED APCH. LOOKING BACK I SHOULD HAVE PLANNED FOR LESS VISIBILITY DUE TO RAIN (REDUCED PERIPHERAL VISION THROUGH WIPERS), UTILIZING THE AUTOPLT, MONITORED APCH PROC. ON THE SECOND APCH THE ACFT AHEAD RPTED 40 KT WINDS AT 400 FT WITH TWR WINDS OF 14 KTS AT THE SURFACE. WE BROKE OUT AT 550 FT WITH A MUCH CLRER PICTURE OF THE RWY.

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.