Narrative:

Arriving at pit, ATIS was giving strong winds (210 degrees, 18 KTS, gust 30) in VFR. Wind shear of 10-15 KTS possible. After turning final 6 mi out we switched to tower where he gave us winds at (200 degrees, 15-36 KTS). This coupled with a lot of turbulence, presented me with a problem -- time management in setting priorities. Landing checklist was difficult to read and see, watching the first officer's performance in aircraft control, looking in manual for crosswind limitations chart and selecting an alternate if approach was aborted -- all within a min or so! I elected to 'stay with' the copilot and aircraft through landing. After landing the crosswind chart revealed we had exceeded crosswind limitations. Segments had been issued for possible wind shear/strong winds/severe turbulence. ATIS confirmed with strong and gusty winds. Turning final and receiving clearance to land, we assumed it was okay because everyone else had done it. I never verified the crosswind component because we didn't have the time! I assumed we could do it -- legally. Professional pilots are becoming too dependent on company policy because of a legalistic society (FAA, NTSB included). Our thoughts and stress are continual now because of the 'letter of the policy.' if we're going to be able to make decisions as to safety, not the law, then we need to relax some of these requirements -- allow us to use our judgement associated with an ATP. (Example of policies that are ignored). We do fly in segment areas of severe turbulence, we do approach with 'calls' close to the field (within 5 mi), we land with tail winds etc and with takeoff and land with wind shear advisories and we fly in moderate turbulence, we add no 'gust factors speed' on takeoff etc.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MLG BELIEVED THAT HE EXCEEDED THE ACFT XWIND FACTOR WHEN LNDG IN A GUSTY XWIND.

Narrative: ARRIVING AT PIT, ATIS WAS GIVING STRONG WINDS (210 DEGS, 18 KTS, GUST 30) IN VFR. WIND SHEAR OF 10-15 KTS POSSIBLE. AFTER TURNING FINAL 6 MI OUT WE SWITCHED TO TWR WHERE HE GAVE US WINDS AT (200 DEGS, 15-36 KTS). THIS COUPLED WITH A LOT OF TURB, PRESENTED ME WITH A PROB -- TIME MGMNT IN SETTING PRIORITIES. LNDG CHKLIST WAS DIFFICULT TO READ AND SEE, WATCHING THE FO'S PERFORMANCE IN ACFT CTL, LOOKING IN MANUAL FOR XWIND LIMITATIONS CHART AND SELECTING AN ALTERNATE IF APCH WAS ABORTED -- ALL WITHIN A MIN OR SO! I ELECTED TO 'STAY WITH' THE COPLT AND ACFT THROUGH LNDG. AFTER LNDG THE XWIND CHART REVEALED WE HAD EXCEEDED XWIND LIMITATIONS. SEGMENTS HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR POSSIBLE WIND SHEAR/STRONG WINDS/SEVERE TURB. ATIS CONFIRMED WITH STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS. TURNING FINAL AND RECEIVING CLRNC TO LAND, WE ASSUMED IT WAS OKAY BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE HAD DONE IT. I NEVER VERIFIED THE XWIND COMPONENT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME! I ASSUMED WE COULD DO IT -- LEGALLY. PROFESSIONAL PLTS ARE BECOMING TOO DEPENDENT ON COMPANY POLICY BECAUSE OF A LEGALISTIC SOCIETY (FAA, NTSB INCLUDED). OUR THOUGHTS AND STRESS ARE CONTINUAL NOW BECAUSE OF THE 'LETTER OF THE POLICY.' IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS AS TO SAFETY, NOT THE LAW, THEN WE NEED TO RELAX SOME OF THESE REQUIREMENTS -- ALLOW US TO USE OUR JUDGEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH AN ATP. (EXAMPLE OF POLICIES THAT ARE IGNORED). WE DO FLY IN SEGMENT AREAS OF SEVERE TURB, WE DO APCH WITH 'CALLS' CLOSE TO THE FIELD (WITHIN 5 MI), WE LAND WITH TAIL WINDS ETC AND WITH TKOF AND LAND WITH WIND SHEAR ADVISORIES AND WE FLY IN MODERATE TURB, WE ADD NO 'GUST FACTORS SPD' ON TKOF ETC.

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.