Narrative:

Forecast WX at time of arrival (approximately) 300 ft overcast, 2 mi visibility, wind 20 KTS gusting 35 KTS, chance of thunderstorms. Decision was made to proceed with flight from mdw to grb after consulting duats WX service (as per SOP). Flight was uneventful until aircraft descended through 4000 ft MSL - turbulence moderate. Radar (model type wxr-270) was showing level 1- 3 at most in and around grb area. Air carrier dc-9 on the ILS runway 6 approach into grb advised that the approach should be discontinued should there be any one behind them. We were approximately 12 mi south on an approximately 020 degree heading to intercept the runway 6 localizer. Upon hearing this, we immediately aborted the approach and headed approximately 075 degree to parallel the approach course and remain south of the reported turbulence. As we were making our way out over lake michigan, we encountered severe turbulence. It lasted approximately 10-15 seconds but it was enough to throw items throughout the cockpit and cabin. We seemed to exit the WX approximately 10-15 mi northeast of green bay. We attempted 2 other approachs, one which was again broken off due to turbulence and the other successful by circumnavigating the storm cells by flying north and then west back to ILS runway 6. Once on the ground, it was noted that 1 passenger was very ill and one accused us of flying into unsafe conditions. This in my strong opinion is false. We did everything we could to provide safe passage for these passenger. We had a plan to divert to our alternate airport if the third attempt had failed. It should be noted that our airborne WX radar was 'written up' as not working up to specifications. We had a visual confirmation at a level 4 thunderstorm on the trip home that ATC had on their radar. The radar receive/transmit unit was replaced in midway with satisfactory results.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LTT ACR CREW SCARED SOME OF ITS PAX IN HVY WX.

Narrative: FORECAST WX AT TIME OF ARR (APPROX) 300 FT OVCST, 2 MI VISIBILITY, WIND 20 KTS GUSTING 35 KTS, CHANCE OF TSTMS. DECISION WAS MADE TO PROCEED WITH FLT FROM MDW TO GRB AFTER CONSULTING DUATS WX SVC (AS PER SOP). FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL ACFT DSNDED THROUGH 4000 FT MSL - TURB MODERATE. RADAR (MODEL TYPE WXR-270) WAS SHOWING LEVEL 1- 3 AT MOST IN AND AROUND GRB AREA. ACR DC-9 ON THE ILS RWY 6 APCH INTO GRB ADVISED THAT THE APCH SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED SHOULD THERE BE ANY ONE BEHIND THEM. WE WERE APPROX 12 MI S ON AN APPROX 020 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 6 LOC. UPON HEARING THIS, WE IMMEDIATELY ABORTED THE APCH AND HEADED APPROX 075 DEG TO PARALLEL THE APCH COURSE AND REMAIN S OF THE RPTED TURB. AS WE WERE MAKING OUR WAY OUT OVER LAKE MICHIGAN, WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB. IT LASTED APPROX 10-15 SECONDS BUT IT WAS ENOUGH TO THROW ITEMS THROUGHOUT THE COCKPIT AND CABIN. WE SEEMED TO EXIT THE WX APPROX 10-15 MI NE OF GREEN BAY. WE ATTEMPTED 2 OTHER APCHS, ONE WHICH WAS AGAIN BROKEN OFF DUE TO TURB AND THE OTHER SUCCESSFUL BY CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE STORM CELLS BY FLYING N AND THEN W BACK TO ILS RWY 6. ONCE ON THE GND, IT WAS NOTED THAT 1 PAX WAS VERY ILL AND ONE ACCUSED US OF FLYING INTO UNSAFE CONDITIONS. THIS IN MY STRONG OPINION IS FALSE. WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD TO PROVIDE SAFE PASSAGE FOR THESE PAX. WE HAD A PLAN TO DIVERT TO OUR ALTERNATE ARPT IF THE THIRD ATTEMPT HAD FAILED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT OUR AIRBORNE WX RADAR WAS 'WRITTEN UP' AS NOT WORKING UP TO SPECIFICATIONS. WE HAD A VISUAL CONFIRMATION AT A LEVEL 4 TSTM ON THE TRIP HOME THAT ATC HAD ON THEIR RADAR. THE RADAR RECEIVE/XMIT UNIT WAS REPLACED IN MIDWAY WITH SATISFACTORY RESULTS.

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.