<< >> NASA ASRS Report 389240, December 1997

Flight crew of medium large transport hears report from landing MD80 of a 20 KT loss of airspeed. Since 15 KTS is the limit for reporter aircraft he requests other reports. Tower indicates a local condition and no reports on takeoff or climb. Reporter is unsure of his situation since 'local condition' is not addressed in the regulations.

Attributes
ACN	389240
Time
Date	199712
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	389240
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While #1 for takeoff, a landing MD80 reported a 20 KT loss of airspeed at 100 ft. Since over 15 KTS is severe windshear, I was not legal for takeoff. I asked tower if there were any aircraft on approach for a further report. The answer was no, but that the windshear was due to 'local conditions' and did not translate to the other end of the field. This left me in a gray area, but using my knowledge of rno, I made the takeoff. No windshear was noted on takeoff or climb. Nowhere is 'local conditions' addressed regarding windshear and while conditions may be safe for takeoff, we risk violation. Windshear criteria needs to be clarified regarding 'local conditions,' ie, a large hill at the approach end causing turbulence but does not apply to takeoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG HEARS RPT FROM LNDG MD80 OF A 20 KT LOSS OF AIRSPD. SINCE 15 KTS IS THE LIMIT FOR RPTR ACFT HE REQUESTS OTHER RPTS. TWR INDICATES A LCL CONDITION AND NO RPTS ON TKOF OR CLB. RPTR IS UNSURE OF HIS SIT SINCE 'LCL CONDITION' IS NOT ADDRESSED IN THE REGS.

Narrative: WHILE #1 FOR TKOF, A LNDG MD80 RPTED A 20 KT LOSS OF AIRSPD AT 100 FT. SINCE OVER 15 KTS IS SEVERE WINDSHEAR, I WAS NOT LEGAL FOR TKOF. I ASKED TWR IF THERE WERE ANY ACFT ON APCH FOR A FURTHER RPT. THE ANSWER WAS NO, BUT THAT THE WINDSHEAR WAS DUE TO 'LCL CONDITIONS' AND DID NOT TRANSLATE TO THE OTHER END OF THE FIELD. THIS LEFT ME IN A GRAY AREA, BUT USING MY KNOWLEDGE OF RNO, I MADE THE TKOF. NO WINDSHEAR WAS NOTED ON TKOF OR CLB. NOWHERE IS 'LCL CONDITIONS' ADDRESSED REGARDING WINDSHEAR AND WHILE CONDITIONS MAY BE SAFE FOR TKOF, WE RISK VIOLATION. WINDSHEAR CRITERIA NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED REGARDING 'LCL CONDITIONS,' IE, A LARGE HILL AT THE APCH END CAUSING TURB BUT DOES NOT APPLY TO TKOF.

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.