Narrative:

En route dfw to elp, received PIREPS of severe turbulence 10000 ft and below in vicinity of elp. During descent we experienced moderate to severe turbulence. We briefed the approach and talked about the windshear escape maneuver. On approach, tower advised wind was 240 degrees at 34 KTS gusting to 51 KTS. At 600 ft AGL, airspeed went to +20 KTS with an abrupt pitch down. Autoplt disconnected and a go around was elected and initiated. As the go around was started, we received a windshear annunciation from windshear avoidance go around system. The windshear escape was initiated. Due to the close proximity to the ground and everything that was happening, we never looked at the egt gauges to see the temperature. We diverted to maf and landed uneventfully. We made an E6 entry but did not know if engine limits were exceeded. Dispatch advised that a ground maintenance team was coming to download data from flight data recorder. Supplemental information from acn 419621: on descent around 16000 ft to 15000 ft, we had a short period of turbulence. It was rough but not long lasting. Having checked aim and part 1, it definitely did not meet the description of severe. First officer and I agreed that we would check the wind when we switched to tower and if within limits, would begin the approach, but at the first indication of any abnormal condition we would go around and divert. We had no current PIREPS from any aircraft landing at elp.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN S80 FLC PERFORMS AN APCH TO ELP AFTER RECEIVING PIREPS REGARDING SEVERE TURB RPTS IN THE AREA. A GAR IS PERFORMED WHEN THE ACFT ENCOUNTERS A LOW LEVEL WINDSHEAR AT 600 FT AGL AT ELP.

Narrative: ENRTE DFW TO ELP, RECEIVED PIREPS OF SEVERE TURB 10000 FT AND BELOW IN VICINITY OF ELP. DURING DSCNT WE EXPERIENCED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. WE BRIEFED THE APCH AND TALKED ABOUT THE WINDSHEAR ESCAPE MANEUVER. ON APCH, TWR ADVISED WIND WAS 240 DEGS AT 34 KTS GUSTING TO 51 KTS. AT 600 FT AGL, AIRSPD WENT TO +20 KTS WITH AN ABRUPT PITCH DOWN. AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED AND A GAR WAS ELECTED AND INITIATED. AS THE GAR WAS STARTED, WE RECEIVED A WINDSHEAR ANNUNCIATION FROM WINDSHEAR AVOIDANCE GAR SYS. THE WINDSHEAR ESCAPE WAS INITIATED. DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX TO THE GND AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING, WE NEVER LOOKED AT THE EGT GAUGES TO SEE THE TEMP. WE DIVERTED TO MAF AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. WE MADE AN E6 ENTRY BUT DID NOT KNOW IF ENG LIMITS WERE EXCEEDED. DISPATCH ADVISED THAT A GND MAINT TEAM WAS COMING TO DOWNLOAD DATA FROM FLT DATA RECORDER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 419621: ON DSCNT AROUND 16000 FT TO 15000 FT, WE HAD A SHORT PERIOD OF TURB. IT WAS ROUGH BUT NOT LONG LASTING. HAVING CHKED AIM AND PART 1, IT DEFINITELY DID NOT MEET THE DESCRIPTION OF SEVERE. FO AND I AGREED THAT WE WOULD CHK THE WIND WHEN WE SWITCHED TO TWR AND IF WITHIN LIMITS, WOULD BEGIN THE APCH, BUT AT THE FIRST INDICATION OF ANY ABNORMAL CONDITION WE WOULD GO AROUND AND DIVERT. WE HAD NO CURRENT PIREPS FROM ANY ACFT LNDG AT ELP.

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.