Narrative:

While on approach to runway 12 at iad we encountered a windshear, which, with maximum power applied and at stick shaker, we dropped from approximately 1700 ft MSL to 700 ft MSL (approximately 200-300 ft AGL). It was a classic scenario. Heavy rain on the approach path, but all proceeding aircraft were reporting a 'smooth ride.' visually, I could see a twring cumulous -- big enough to make me cautious, but not big enough to scare me off when there were so many positive ride reports. In addition, the previous 2 weeks had an unusually high frequency of convective activity, which resulted in a degree of complacency, as well as impatience. This cell was big enough, that without outside information, I would have held and waited for it to pass. But, I let the reports of a smooth ride give me a false sense of security. In addition, it's always hard to be the first one to say no. A thousand flts could go through those similar conditions and not experience a severe wind shear, but for the sake of number one thousand and one, better judgement should keep you from entering such a potentially dangerous area. On the positive side: I am very thankful for windshear training. Encountering windshear every 6 months in the simulator resulted in early recognition, and an aggressive recovery. Having ignored the first rule of windshear training -- avoidance -- I still recognized that we were in an environment conducive to windshear, and kept flaps at a lower angle (less drag), and at the first hint of a shear, I called for maximum power. It happened very quickly, and there was no time to think about what was happening, just time to carry out the 'programmed' procedure of 'maximum power and pitch to intermittent stick shaker.' although I was the unlucky one, and learned a valuable lesson, I can't help but wonder about those who preceded me without incident. Will they continue to gamble with mother nature?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT HITS WIND SHEAR AND HVY RAIN ON APCH. 1000 FT RAPID DSCNT.

Narrative: WHILE ON APCH TO RWY 12 AT IAD WE ENCOUNTERED A WINDSHEAR, WHICH, WITH MAX PWR APPLIED AND AT STICK SHAKER, WE DROPPED FROM APPROX 1700 FT MSL TO 700 FT MSL (APPROX 200-300 FT AGL). IT WAS A CLASSIC SCENARIO. HVY RAIN ON THE APCH PATH, BUT ALL PROCEEDING ACFT WERE RPTING A 'SMOOTH RIDE.' VISUALLY, I COULD SEE A TWRING CUMULOUS -- BIG ENOUGH TO MAKE ME CAUTIOUS, BUT NOT BIG ENOUGH TO SCARE ME OFF WHEN THERE WERE SO MANY POSITIVE RIDE RPTS. IN ADDITION, THE PREVIOUS 2 WKS HAD AN UNUSUALLY HIGH FREQUENCY OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY, WHICH RESULTED IN A DEG OF COMPLACENCY, AS WELL AS IMPATIENCE. THIS CELL WAS BIG ENOUGH, THAT WITHOUT OUTSIDE INFO, I WOULD HAVE HELD AND WAITED FOR IT TO PASS. BUT, I LET THE RPTS OF A SMOOTH RIDE GIVE ME A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. IN ADDITION, IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO SAY NO. A THOUSAND FLTS COULD GO THROUGH THOSE SIMILAR CONDITIONS AND NOT EXPERIENCE A SEVERE WIND SHEAR, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF NUMBER ONE THOUSAND AND ONE, BETTER JUDGEMENT SHOULD KEEP YOU FROM ENTERING SUCH A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AREA. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE: I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR WINDSHEAR TRAINING. ENCOUNTERING WINDSHEAR EVERY 6 MONTHS IN THE SIMULATOR RESULTED IN EARLY RECOGNITION, AND AN AGGRESSIVE RECOVERY. HAVING IGNORED THE FIRST RULE OF WINDSHEAR TRAINING -- AVOIDANCE -- I STILL RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE IN AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO WINDSHEAR, AND KEPT FLAPS AT A LOWER ANGLE (LESS DRAG), AND AT THE FIRST HINT OF A SHEAR, I CALLED FOR MAX PWR. IT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY, AND THERE WAS NO TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING, JUST TIME TO CARRY OUT THE 'PROGRAMMED' PROC OF 'MAX PWR AND PITCH TO INTERMITTENT STICK SHAKER.' ALTHOUGH I WAS THE UNLUCKY ONE, AND LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON, I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER ABOUT THOSE WHO PRECEDED ME WITHOUT INCIDENT. WILL THEY CONTINUE TO GAMBLE WITH MOTHER NATURE?

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.