Narrative:

Stopped at jackson, ms, for fuel. Obtained WX briefing for next leg, jackson to ft smith. WX at ft smith 1600' broken with light, intermittent rain, 4 mi visibility. We elected to continue VFR on a direct course by LORAN. Approximately half way we encountered lowering ceilings and rain showers. Ceilings approximately 2000', visibility 3-6 mi. We continued VFR, twice skirting heavy rain. When our DME and LORAN read 7 mi from fsm VOR we encountered heavy rain, turbulence and patchy fog. A cfii pilot was in right seat. We elected to call for an instrument approach. We received a back course approach and were vectored to the final approach fix. The cfii was not familiar with control response of the small aircraft, plus we were having communication problems. We broke out too far off flight path to make a safe landing. I took the controls, keeping the runway in sight, flew along side the runway, made a downwind short base and landed. Approximately 1 hour after landing the ceiling went back to 1500' and visibility improved and it stopped raining. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated that even though hey encountered rain, the conditions never went below VFR limits and they stayed clear until had clearance for the approach at fsm. That was first they got into conditions below VFR. The missed approach was caused by the cfii apparently forgetting he was on back course approach and corrected wrong direction to center localizer. When saw out of position to land, received tower clearance for downwind and visual approach so would not have to make full missed approach procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR IN MARGINAL IFR, TRACK DEVIATION ON APCH FOLLOWED BY MISSED APCH.

Narrative: STOPPED AT JACKSON, MS, FOR FUEL. OBTAINED WX BRIEFING FOR NEXT LEG, JACKSON TO FT SMITH. WX AT FT SMITH 1600' BROKEN WITH LIGHT, INTERMITTENT RAIN, 4 MI VIS. WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE VFR ON A DIRECT COURSE BY LORAN. APPROX HALF WAY WE ENCOUNTERED LOWERING CEILINGS AND RAIN SHOWERS. CEILINGS APPROX 2000', VIS 3-6 MI. WE CONTINUED VFR, TWICE SKIRTING HEAVY RAIN. WHEN OUR DME AND LORAN READ 7 MI FROM FSM VOR WE ENCOUNTERED HEAVY RAIN, TURB AND PATCHY FOG. A CFII PLT WAS IN RIGHT SEAT. WE ELECTED TO CALL FOR AN INSTRUMENT APCH. WE RECEIVED A BACK COURSE APCH AND WERE VECTORED TO THE FINAL APCH FIX. THE CFII WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH CTL RESPONSE OF THE SMA, PLUS WE WERE HAVING COM PROBS. WE BROKE OUT TOO FAR OFF FLT PATH TO MAKE A SAFE LNDG. I TOOK THE CTLS, KEEPING THE RWY IN SIGHT, FLEW ALONG SIDE THE RWY, MADE A DOWNWIND SHORT BASE AND LANDED. APPROX 1 HR AFTER LNDG THE CEILING WENT BACK TO 1500' AND VIS IMPROVED AND IT STOPPED RAINING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH HEY ENCOUNTERED RAIN, THE CONDITIONS NEVER WENT BELOW VFR LIMITS AND THEY STAYED CLR UNTIL HAD CLRNC FOR THE APCH AT FSM. THAT WAS FIRST THEY GOT INTO CONDITIONS BELOW VFR. THE MISSED APCH WAS CAUSED BY THE CFII APPARENTLY FORGETTING HE WAS ON BACK COURSE APCH AND CORRECTED WRONG DIRECTION TO CENTER LOC. WHEN SAW OUT OF POS TO LAND, RECEIVED TWR CLRNC FOR DOWNWIND AND VISUAL APCH SO WOULD NOT HAVE TO MAKE FULL MISSED APCH PROC.

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