Flight crew of medium large transport landing in patchy fog ena, loses visual contact with surface on very short final and contact runway during missed approach.

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Attributes
ACN	449215
Time
Date	199909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ena.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Fog Ice
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ena.tower
Operator	common carrier : charter
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 19
Flight Phase	landing : missed approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 26000 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	449215
Person 2
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed go around flight crew : executed missed approach
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

How the problem arose: the WX was up and down 200 1/2 - 1/4 as fog was moving in and around in patchy areas. The fact that the fog was patchy and thin gave good visibility of the runway at times. The approach was an ILS and you could see the runway at times, as we approached minimums. It is my belief the pilot looked up and saw the runway and thought he could land. He then lost sight of the runway and started a go around. As the aircraft rotated, it struck the ground monetarily. We completed the missed approach and returned to palmer safely. I believe with the effect of lead-in high intensity strobe lights, and the patchy fog, the PF experienced an illusion as to being able to land. Also the fact the fog was moving did not help. In air carrier operations, this should not have occurred. The PF would remain on instruments, until the copilot called position runway environment in sight. I believe this could be a serious problem for pilots flying single pilot IFR operations, because of this effect.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG LNDG IN PATCHY FOG ENA, LOSES VISUAL CONTACT WITH SURFACE ON VERY SHORT FINAL AND CONTACT RWY DURING MISSED APCH.

Narrative: HOW THE PROB AROSE: THE WX WAS UP AND DOWN 200 1/2 - 1/4 AS FOG WAS MOVING IN AND AROUND IN PATCHY AREAS. THE FACT THAT THE FOG WAS PATCHY AND THIN GAVE GOOD VISIBILITY OF THE RWY AT TIMES. THE APCH WAS AN ILS AND YOU COULD SEE THE RWY AT TIMES, AS WE APCHED MINIMUMS. IT IS MY BELIEF THE PLT LOOKED UP AND SAW THE RWY AND THOUGHT HE COULD LAND. HE THEN LOST SIGHT OF THE RWY AND STARTED A GAR. AS THE ACFT ROTATED, IT STRUCK THE GND MONETARILY. WE COMPLETED THE MISSED APCH AND RETURNED TO PALMER SAFELY. I BELIEVE WITH THE EFFECT OF LEAD-IN HIGH INTENSITY STROBE LIGHTS, AND THE PATCHY FOG, THE PF EXPERIENCED AN ILLUSION AS TO BEING ABLE TO LAND. ALSO THE FACT THE FOG WAS MOVING DID NOT HELP. IN ACR OPS, THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. THE PF WOULD REMAIN ON INSTS, UNTIL THE COPLT CALLED POS RWY ENVIRONMENT IN SIGHT. I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS PROB FOR PLTS FLYING SINGLE PLT IFR OPS, BECAUSE OF THIS EFFECT.

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.