Narrative:

We landed just prior to a severe WX event. Upon arrival at the gate we found the ramp closed. There was lightning on the field with more extreme WX approaching. With a gap of about 3-5 mins in the WX and tower advised tornado activity 5 mi south of the field; I call operations again to get a marshaller to park us and quickly escort the passenger inside. Operations said they could not let anyone onto the ramp; but if I wanted to park myself they would open the door. With no clear guidance on a congested ramp and no ability to secure the aircraft and assure the safety of passenger. I elected to keep the passenger on the aircraft. As the most severe of the WX approached the field; I continually turned the nose of the aircraft into the wind. I felt this gave the best aerodynamic advantage and sight advantage for any debris coming toward the aircraft. During the event; shear was reported at 8 KTS of loss. We also noted 40 KTS of indicated airspeed on a parked aircraft. The storm lasted about 10 mins and finally maintenance came and parked us. Throughout the event I was conflicted about my options; and felt trapped by either decision. I am writing this safety report in hopes of generating some discussion on an emergency action plan for other aircraft in this situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF340 CAPTAIN IS CONFLICTED ABOUT OPTIONS ON RAMP WITH SEVERE WEATHER APPROACHING AND GND CREWS RESTRICTED FROM ACCESSING THE RAMP.

Narrative: WE LANDED JUST PRIOR TO A SEVERE WX EVENT. UPON ARR AT THE GATE WE FOUND THE RAMP CLOSED. THERE WAS LIGHTNING ON THE FIELD WITH MORE EXTREME WX APCHING. WITH A GAP OF ABOUT 3-5 MINS IN THE WX AND TWR ADVISED TORNADO ACTIVITY 5 MI S OF THE FIELD; I CALL OPS AGAIN TO GET A MARSHALLER TO PARK US AND QUICKLY ESCORT THE PAX INSIDE. OPS SAID THEY COULD NOT LET ANYONE ONTO THE RAMP; BUT IF I WANTED TO PARK MYSELF THEY WOULD OPEN THE DOOR. WITH NO CLR GUIDANCE ON A CONGESTED RAMP AND NO ABILITY TO SECURE THE ACFT AND ASSURE THE SAFETY OF PAX. I ELECTED TO KEEP THE PAX ON THE ACFT. AS THE MOST SEVERE OF THE WX APCHED THE FIELD; I CONTINUALLY TURNED THE NOSE OF THE ACFT INTO THE WIND. I FELT THIS GAVE THE BEST AERODYNAMIC ADVANTAGE AND SIGHT ADVANTAGE FOR ANY DEBRIS COMING TOWARD THE ACFT. DURING THE EVENT; SHEAR WAS RPTED AT 8 KTS OF LOSS. WE ALSO NOTED 40 KTS OF INDICATED AIRSPD ON A PARKED ACFT. THE STORM LASTED ABOUT 10 MINS AND FINALLY MAINT CAME AND PARKED US. THROUGHOUT THE EVENT I WAS CONFLICTED ABOUT MY OPTIONS; AND FELT TRAPPED BY EITHER DECISION. I AM WRITING THIS SAFETY RPT IN HOPES OF GENERATING SOME DISCUSSION ON AN EMER ACTION PLAN FOR OTHER ACFT IN THIS SITUATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.