Narrative:

On arrival to memphis; ATIS indicated that traffic was landing to the south. Strong WX system was producing winds out of the wsw that approached; and at times exceeded the limits of the aircraft. Advised ATC that with current reported winds; we'd be able to accept a landing to the south; and inquired as to the availability of runway 27. Was told it was unavailable. New; current winds were provided subsequently that indicated conditions were within limits for a landing on runway 18R; and we were vectored for the ILS to that runway. While on the approach; tower reported winds fairly frequently to the arriving traffic. Periodically; those reports indicated gusts that were out of limits. Periodically; they did not. Elected to continue with understanding that; although conditions were satisfactory at the time; conditions at the 'da' would be the determining factor; and the crew should be prepared for a missed approach. Ultimately; we landed safely; with winds seeming less onerous than reported. Conclusion that warranted this report. The odds were very good that we continued to land an aircraft in a situation where wind gusts were out of limits. The decision to continue was very strongly influenced by the fact that other aircraft were landing; without apparent difficulty. (Aircraft that immediately landed prior to us was of the same type; with the same limits.) on discussion with other crews; I've concluded that; a) my own decision process can be compromised more easily than I'm comfortable with; B) at least within the population of crews that I deal with on a regular basis; there is a strong culture of getting to the destination; despite the overall conditions. A third item comes to mind as well. Ultimately; the westerly runway was utilized when conditions had deteriorated further. Why was I earlier denied use of that runway?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CREW QUESTIONS LNDG IN EXTREME XWIND CONDITIONS WHEN A BETTER RWY IS AVAILABLE.

Narrative: ON ARR TO MEMPHIS; ATIS INDICATED THAT TFC WAS LNDG TO THE S. STRONG WX SYS WAS PRODUCING WINDS OUT OF THE WSW THAT APCHED; AND AT TIMES EXCEEDED THE LIMITS OF THE ACFT. ADVISED ATC THAT WITH CURRENT RPTED WINDS; WE'D BE ABLE TO ACCEPT A LNDG TO THE S; AND INQUIRED AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF RWY 27. WAS TOLD IT WAS UNAVAILABLE. NEW; CURRENT WINDS WERE PROVIDED SUBSEQUENTLY THAT INDICATED CONDITIONS WERE WITHIN LIMITS FOR A LNDG ON RWY 18R; AND WE WERE VECTORED FOR THE ILS TO THAT RWY. WHILE ON THE APCH; TWR RPTED WINDS FAIRLY FREQUENTLY TO THE ARRIVING TFC. PERIODICALLY; THOSE RPTS INDICATED GUSTS THAT WERE OUT OF LIMITS. PERIODICALLY; THEY DID NOT. ELECTED TO CONTINUE WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT; ALTHOUGH CONDITIONS WERE SATISFACTORY AT THE TIME; CONDITIONS AT THE 'DA' WOULD BE THE DETERMINING FACTOR; AND THE CREW SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR A MISSED APCH. ULTIMATELY; WE LANDED SAFELY; WITH WINDS SEEMING LESS ONEROUS THAN RPTED. CONCLUSION THAT WARRANTED THIS RPT. THE ODDS WERE VERY GOOD THAT WE CONTINUED TO LAND AN ACFT IN A SIT WHERE WIND GUSTS WERE OUT OF LIMITS. THE DECISION TO CONTINUE WAS VERY STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY THE FACT THAT OTHER ACFT WERE LNDG; WITHOUT APPARENT DIFFICULTY. (ACFT THAT IMMEDIATELY LANDED PRIOR TO US WAS OF THE SAME TYPE; WITH THE SAME LIMITS.) ON DISCUSSION WITH OTHER CREWS; I'VE CONCLUDED THAT; A) MY OWN DECISION PROCESS CAN BE COMPROMISED MORE EASILY THAN I'M COMFORTABLE WITH; B) AT LEAST WITHIN THE POPULATION OF CREWS THAT I DEAL WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS; THERE IS A STRONG CULTURE OF GETTING TO THE DEST; DESPITE THE OVERALL CONDITIONS. A THIRD ITEM COMES TO MIND AS WELL. ULTIMATELY; THE WESTERLY RWY WAS UTILIZED WHEN CONDITIONS HAD DETERIORATED FURTHER. WHY WAS I EARLIER DENIED USE OF THAT RWY?

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.