With iced up windshield (heat inoperative), reporter flew coupled ILS approach. At 50 ft the runway ...

Attributes
ACN	325177
Time
Date	199601
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	325177
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed yxu for direct flight to cle. Approximately 30 mi from cle (10 mins), aircraft started to pick up freezing rain. Requested to leave assigned 4000 ft for 3000 ft MSL. No freezing rain at 3000 ft, however, light rime. Noticed windshield completely covered with ice (freezing rain/rime -- 1/4 - 1/2 inch). Verified windsheild heat on, checked circuit breaker -- ok, determined windshield heat inoperative. Cleveland ATIS reporting 700 ft scattered 1400 ft overcast 3/4 snow flurries blowing snow wind 040 degrees 25 KTS gusting to 40 KTS. Windscreen completely covered with ice, determined could not use for approach or landing. Flew ILS runway 5R coupled approach, using side window (pilot's side) for landing. At decision ht approach lights in sight, no runway. Disengaged autoplt, continued approach manually. At approximately 50 ft AGL still no runway. Decided to abort landing. Added power, flaps up, gear up. Slipped aircraft to see runway. Aircraft was positioned on centerline crossing threshold. Attempted to land power-off, flaps down, gear down. Aircraft touched down approximately 2-3 seconds from power reduction. Gear not down (possibly in transition). FAA ruled incident, no violation. Corrections: pilot should have continued with aborted landing -- could have found inversion (OAT at 4000 ft -2C), however, so close to destination, could have created problems on approach -- due to widespread snowstorm, no VFR within 1 hour flight. FSS may have had suggestions but that could take time, more time could mean more ice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WITH ICED UP WINDSHIELD (HEAT INOP), RPTR FLEW COUPLED ILS APCH. AT 50 FT THE RWY WAS STILL NOT IN SIGHT, SO ELECTED TO GAR. AFTER GEAR WAS PUT UP, RPTR SAW RWY, PWR OFF AND LANDED WITH GEAR UP.

Narrative: DEPARTED YXU FOR DIRECT FLT TO CLE. APPROX 30 MI FROM CLE (10 MINS), ACFT STARTED TO PICK UP FREEZING RAIN. REQUESTED TO LEAVE ASSIGNED 4000 FT FOR 3000 FT MSL. NO FREEZING RAIN AT 3000 FT, HOWEVER, LIGHT RIME. NOTICED WINDSHIELD COMPLETELY COVERED WITH ICE (FREEZING RAIN/RIME -- 1/4 - 1/2 INCH). VERIFIED WINDSHEILD HEAT ON, CHKED CIRCUIT BREAKER -- OK, DETERMINED WINDSHIELD HEAT INOP. CLEVELAND ATIS RPTING 700 FT SCATTERED 1400 FT OVCST 3/4 SNOW FLURRIES BLOWING SNOW WIND 040 DEGS 25 KTS GUSTING TO 40 KTS. WINDSCREEN COMPLETELY COVERED WITH ICE, DETERMINED COULD NOT USE FOR APCH OR LNDG. FLEW ILS RWY 5R COUPLED APCH, USING SIDE WINDOW (PLT'S SIDE) FOR LNDG. AT DECISION HT APCH LIGHTS IN SIGHT, NO RWY. DISENGAGED AUTOPLT, CONTINUED APCH MANUALLY. AT APPROX 50 FT AGL STILL NO RWY. DECIDED TO ABORT LNDG. ADDED PWR, FLAPS UP, GEAR UP. SLIPPED ACFT TO SEE RWY. ACFT WAS POSITIONED ON CTRLINE XING THRESHOLD. ATTEMPTED TO LAND PWR-OFF, FLAPS DOWN, GEAR DOWN. ACFT TOUCHED DOWN APPROX 2-3 SECONDS FROM PWR REDUCTION. GEAR NOT DOWN (POSSIBLY IN TRANSITION). FAA RULED INCIDENT, NO VIOLATION. CORRECTIONS: PLT SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED WITH ABORTED LNDG -- COULD HAVE FOUND INVERSION (OAT AT 4000 FT -2C), HOWEVER, SO CLOSE TO DEST, COULD HAVE CREATED PROBS ON APCH -- DUE TO WIDESPREAD SNOWSTORM, NO VFR WITHIN 1 HR FLT. FSS MAY HAVE HAD SUGGESTIONS BUT THAT COULD TAKE TIME, MORE TIME COULD MEAN MORE ICE.

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.

With iced up windshield (heat inoperative), reporter flew coupled ILS approach. At 50 ft the runway was still not in sight, so elected to go around. After gear was put up, reporter saw runway, power off and landed with gear up.