BE40 crew encountered IMC and windshear on a visual, executed a go around.

Attributes
ACN	493090
Time
Date	200011
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sua.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Windshear Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pbi.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Beechjet 400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 2540 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	493090
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to alternate flight crew : executed go around flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight originated from ind to sua, fl. The WX was line of showers and thunderstorms (scattered) for sua, fl, and different ceiling altitudes of different areas. We got to sua, fl, and encountered IFR conditions and asked pbi approach for MVA, which was 1500 ft. We got radar vectored to the airport at 1500 ft and we were still in the clouds. 1 mi from the airport we were out of clouds and had the airport in sight. We were cleared for visual approach. As we started to turn and enter the traffic pattern, we went into clouds again and flew right into a line of showers. It was at this time that we encountered a very heavy downdraft (windshear) and started losing altitude. We were correcting (95% on power setting and pitch up attitude), we decided to go to our alternate. We contacted approach back and asked for heading to our alternate (pbi). At this time, we had lost 300-500 ft of altitude and still correcting. Then we were informed by approach that we needed to be at 1500 ft. We told the controller why we had lost altitude (windshear) and we were correcting. Once we gained control, we climbed out and up to 3000 ft (instructed by approach). Sua, fl, has only a GPS approach which we are not approved to do. When we got WX briefing earlier, the WX was supposed to be VFR to IFR. When we got there, it was IFR. I should have chosen to go to my alternate once I realized that at 1500 ft MVA and also our traffic pattern altitude we still did not have the airport in sight a lot earlier.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE40 CREW ENCOUNTERED IMC AND WINDSHEAR ON A VISUAL, EXECUTED A GAR.

Narrative: THE FLT ORIGINATED FROM IND TO SUA, FL. THE WX WAS LINE OF SHOWERS AND TSTMS (SCATTERED) FOR SUA, FL, AND DIFFERENT CEILING ALTS OF DIFFERENT AREAS. WE GOT TO SUA, FL, AND ENCOUNTERED IFR CONDITIONS AND ASKED PBI APCH FOR MVA, WHICH WAS 1500 FT. WE GOT RADAR VECTORED TO THE ARPT AT 1500 FT AND WE WERE STILL IN THE CLOUDS. 1 MI FROM THE ARPT WE WERE OUT OF CLOUDS AND HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH. AS WE STARTED TO TURN AND ENTER THE TFC PATTERN, WE WENT INTO CLOUDS AGAIN AND FLEW RIGHT INTO A LINE OF SHOWERS. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT WE ENCOUNTERED A VERY HVY DOWNDRAFT (WINDSHEAR) AND STARTED LOSING ALT. WE WERE CORRECTING (95% ON PWR SETTING AND PITCH UP ATTITUDE), WE DECIDED TO GO TO OUR ALTERNATE. WE CONTACTED APCH BACK AND ASKED FOR HDG TO OUR ALTERNATE (PBI). AT THIS TIME, WE HAD LOST 300-500 FT OF ALT AND STILL CORRECTING. THEN WE WERE INFORMED BY APCH THAT WE NEEDED TO BE AT 1500 FT. WE TOLD THE CTLR WHY WE HAD LOST ALT (WINDSHEAR) AND WE WERE CORRECTING. ONCE WE GAINED CTL, WE CLBED OUT AND UP TO 3000 FT (INSTRUCTED BY APCH). SUA, FL, HAS ONLY A GPS APCH WHICH WE ARE NOT APPROVED TO DO. WHEN WE GOT WX BRIEFING EARLIER, THE WX WAS SUPPOSED TO BE VFR TO IFR. WHEN WE GOT THERE, IT WAS IFR. I SHOULD HAVE CHOSEN TO GO TO MY ALTERNATE ONCE I REALIZED THAT AT 1500 FT MVA AND ALSO OUR TFC PATTERN ALT WE STILL DID NOT HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT A LOT EARLIER.

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.