Medium large transport hits heavy rain on landing roll has runway excursion.

Attributes
ACN	288727
Time
Date	199411
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	288727
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During tropical storm gordon, shot an IFR approach to runway 9L at fll. Visibility reported to be 1 mi with winds at approach end 170 degree at 12 KTS and 140 degrees at 28 KTS at east end of field. Broke out on approach at 400 ft AGL, 150 ft above minimums, to good view of runway and landing area. 30 degree flaps and autobrakes at heavy braking position. It was raining but with wipers on, visibility was good. After touchdown and reverse thrust was applied, hit wall of heavy rain that distorted visual picture and hampered ability to maintain directional control. Aircraft drifted to right (wxvaned) and hit runway side light. As I corrected to left, we broke out of heavy rain and made a normal stop. Upon gate inspection, noticed 1 tire on right main was cut. No further problems. My radar was showing a cell at the end of the runway moving southeast to northwest. The rain we encountered was not depicted. I would not have even started the approach if I could have been informed that the 'rain' was in fact 'heavy rain.' feedback from the tower and from other aircraft, one who had just missed in front of us, would have been quite helpful in deciding to go or not to go.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HITS HVY RAIN ON LNDG ROLL HAS RWY EXCURSION.

Narrative: DURING TROPICAL STORM GORDON, SHOT AN IFR APCH TO RWY 9L AT FLL. VISIBILITY RPTED TO BE 1 MI WITH WINDS AT APCH END 170 DEG AT 12 KTS AND 140 DEGS AT 28 KTS AT E END OF FIELD. BROKE OUT ON APCH AT 400 FT AGL, 150 FT ABOVE MINIMUMS, TO GOOD VIEW OF RWY AND LNDG AREA. 30 DEG FLAPS AND AUTOBRAKES AT HVY BRAKING POS. IT WAS RAINING BUT WITH WIPERS ON, VISIBILITY WAS GOOD. AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND REVERSE THRUST WAS APPLIED, HIT WALL OF HVY RAIN THAT DISTORTED VISUAL PICTURE AND HAMPERED ABILITY TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CTL. ACFT DRIFTED TO R (WXVANED) AND HIT RWY SIDE LIGHT. AS I CORRECTED TO L, WE BROKE OUT OF HVY RAIN AND MADE A NORMAL STOP. UPON GATE INSPECTION, NOTICED 1 TIRE ON R MAIN WAS CUT. NO FURTHER PROBS. MY RADAR WAS SHOWING A CELL AT THE END OF THE RWY MOVING SE TO NW. THE RAIN WE ENCOUNTERED WAS NOT DEPICTED. I WOULD NOT HAVE EVEN STARTED THE APCH IF I COULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE 'RAIN' WAS IN FACT 'HEAVY RAIN.' FEEDBACK FROM THE TWR AND FROM OTHER ACFT, ONE WHO HAD JUST MISSED IN FRONT OF US, WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE HELPFUL IN DECIDING TO GO OR NOT TO GO.

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.