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An MD88 flight crew continues the visual approach to runway 17C in spite of a last min microburst alert issued by tower when on 2 mi final at dfw, tx.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 556108 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200207 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dfw.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | agl single value : 800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm Rain other |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : dfw.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : dfw.tower |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5700 |
| ASRS Report | 556108 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : gnd eq other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance ATC Facility Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
Visual approach to runway 17C at dfw. Scattered clouds, 10 mi visibility. Approximately 1000 ft AGL, saw lightning flash west of airport. Tower reported the start of rain at the airport. During arrival about 25 mi out, radar showed no WX returns in the vicinity of the airport, so radar was turned off. At 800 ft AGL, tower reported microburst alert for runways 17R&C. Surface winds, visibility remained unremarkable. Approach was continued with no turbulence, airspeed gain/loss, or other indications of windshear activity. Aircraft landing ahead of us (3 mi ahead) did not report any indications of windshear, airspeed gain/loss or turbulence. Approach was continued to a normal landing again with no indications of windshear or microburst. As we cleared the runway, the rain on the field became very heavy, with increased lightning activity. Normal taxi to the gate. In hindsight, probably should have gone missed approach, but lack of indications in the cockpit (turbulence, airspeed fluctuation, windshear warning) made it hard to abandon the approach.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD88 FLC CONTINUES THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17C IN SPITE OF A LAST MIN MICROBURST ALERT ISSUED BY TWR WHEN ON 2 MI FINAL AT DFW, TX.
Narrative: VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17C AT DFW. SCATTERED CLOUDS, 10 MI VISIBILITY. APPROX 1000 FT AGL, SAW LIGHTNING FLASH W OF ARPT. TWR RPTED THE START OF RAIN AT THE ARPT. DURING ARR ABOUT 25 MI OUT, RADAR SHOWED NO WX RETURNS IN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT, SO RADAR WAS TURNED OFF. AT 800 FT AGL, TWR RPTED MICROBURST ALERT FOR RWYS 17R&C. SURFACE WINDS, VISIBILITY REMAINED UNREMARKABLE. APCH WAS CONTINUED WITH NO TURB, AIRSPD GAIN/LOSS, OR OTHER INDICATIONS OF WINDSHEAR ACTIVITY. ACFT LNDG AHEAD OF US (3 MI AHEAD) DID NOT RPT ANY INDICATIONS OF WINDSHEAR, AIRSPD GAIN/LOSS OR TURB. APCH WAS CONTINUED TO A NORMAL LNDG AGAIN WITH NO INDICATIONS OF WINDSHEAR OR MICROBURST. AS WE CLRED THE RWY, THE RAIN ON THE FIELD BECAME VERY HVY, WITH INCREASED LIGHTNING ACTIVITY. NORMAL TAXI TO THE GATE. IN HINDSIGHT, PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE GONE MISSED APCH, BUT LACK OF INDICATIONS IN THE COCKPIT (TURB, AIRSPD FLUCTUATION, WINDSHEAR WARNING) MADE IT HARD TO ABANDON THE APCH.
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.