A320 flight crew encounters rain; hail; windshear and airspeed increase of 25-30 KTS during approach to den. Flight crew elects to go around and hold until WX passes.

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Attributes
ACN	694534
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Weather Elements	Windshear Thunderstorm Rain
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : den.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	694534
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : airspeed indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed go around flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

We were on approach to runway 35L in den. There was a thunderstorm off to the west and north of the field by 5-10 mi. As we got closer to the marker; the skies darkened and the heavy rain began to stretch towards the OM on runway 35L. We opted to take runway 35R. The captain was extremely busy at the time changing the box and communicating with tower. Around 9000 ft; we overheard the plane in front of us on runway 35R say he had +20 KTS on approach. Just then we started to encounter heavy rain; with several downdrafts. We were at flaps full; gear up (can't remember asking for gear; but thought I did). We then encountered a 25-30 KT increase at almost level flight. We oversped the flaps by 10-15 KTS. I then said it was time to go around; and as I was initiating it; we encountered pea-sized hail for approximately 15 seconds. The tower wanted us to continue towards the field; but I decided to turn away from the downdrafts and hail. We headed east. We went to a fix on the runway 35L localizer and held for about 5 mins. The storm moved off the field and we elected to land on runway 34R uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS RAIN; HAIL; WINDSHEAR AND AIRSPD INCREASE OF 25-30 KTS DURING APCH TO DEN. FLT CREW ELECTS TO GO AROUND AND HOLD UNTIL WX PASSES.

Narrative: WE WERE ON APCH TO RWY 35L IN DEN. THERE WAS A TSTM OFF TO THE W AND N OF THE FIELD BY 5-10 MI. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE MARKER; THE SKIES DARKENED AND THE HVY RAIN BEGAN TO STRETCH TOWARDS THE OM ON RWY 35L. WE OPTED TO TAKE RWY 35R. THE CAPT WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AT THE TIME CHANGING THE BOX AND COMMUNICATING WITH TWR. AROUND 9000 FT; WE OVERHEARD THE PLANE IN FRONT OF US ON RWY 35R SAY HE HAD +20 KTS ON APCH. JUST THEN WE STARTED TO ENCOUNTER HVY RAIN; WITH SEVERAL DOWNDRAFTS. WE WERE AT FLAPS FULL; GEAR UP (CAN'T REMEMBER ASKING FOR GEAR; BUT THOUGHT I DID). WE THEN ENCOUNTERED A 25-30 KT INCREASE AT ALMOST LEVEL FLT. WE OVERSPED THE FLAPS BY 10-15 KTS. I THEN SAID IT WAS TIME TO GO AROUND; AND AS I WAS INITIATING IT; WE ENCOUNTERED PEA-SIZED HAIL FOR APPROX 15 SECONDS. THE TWR WANTED US TO CONTINUE TOWARDS THE FIELD; BUT I DECIDED TO TURN AWAY FROM THE DOWNDRAFTS AND HAIL. WE HEADED E. WE WENT TO A FIX ON THE RWY 35L LOC AND HELD FOR ABOUT 5 MINS. THE STORM MOVED OFF THE FIELD AND WE ELECTED TO LAND ON RWY 34R UNEVENTFULLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.