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BE58 on approach encounters severe turbulence and hail is indicated at the field. Requests vector to alternate airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 308666 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199506 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : iad |
| State Reference | VA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : iad |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Baron 58/58TC |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 950 |
| ASRS Report | 308666 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
I flew from syr toward iad on an IFR flight plan. As I approached iad, the WX grew worse. There was moderate turbulence and my stormscope was lit up. As I was vectored onto the localizer of the iad ILS runway 19R approach, the iad TRACON announced 'hail on the field.' as I intercepted the localizer, the turbulence grew. I requested an immediate vector to fdk. I was ignored. The sky grew darker, more turbulent. I repeated the request to no avail again. I began to do 360 degree turns on the localizer and told ATC that I was exercising my emergency PIC authority/authorized and wanted vectors to fdk. When ATC refused, I declared an emergency and was vectored to fdk where I waited 30 mins and flew to iad without incident. This could have been WX severe enough to kill my passenger and me and ATC should have not ignored my request. The iad approach supervisor, who I called from fdk, said I failed to adequately communicate. I do not feel this to be the case.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BE58 ON APCH ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB AND HAIL IS INDICATED AT THE FIELD. REQUESTS VECTOR TO ALTERNATE ARPT.
Narrative: I FLEW FROM SYR TOWARD IAD ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. AS I APCHED IAD, THE WX GREW WORSE. THERE WAS MODERATE TURB AND MY STORMSCOPE WAS LIT UP. AS I WAS VECTORED ONTO THE LOC OF THE IAD ILS RWY 19R APCH, THE IAD TRACON ANNOUNCED 'HAIL ON THE FIELD.' AS I INTERCEPTED THE LOC, THE TURB GREW. I REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE VECTOR TO FDK. I WAS IGNORED. THE SKY GREW DARKER, MORE TURBULENT. I REPEATED THE REQUEST TO NO AVAIL AGAIN. I BEGAN TO DO 360 DEG TURNS ON THE LOC AND TOLD ATC THAT I WAS EXERCISING MY EMER PIC AUTH AND WANTED VECTORS TO FDK. WHEN ATC REFUSED, I DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS VECTORED TO FDK WHERE I WAITED 30 MINS AND FLEW TO IAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN WX SEVERE ENOUGH TO KILL MY PAX AND ME AND ATC SHOULD HAVE NOT IGNORED MY REQUEST. THE IAD APCH SUPVR, WHO I CALLED FROM FDK, SAID I FAILED TO ADEQUATELY COMMUNICATE. I DO NOT FEEL THIS TO BE THE CASE.
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.