Citationjet (C525/C526) - CJ I / II / III / IV
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 5500; Flight Crew Type 500
Time Pressure; Human-Machine Interface; Distraction; Confusion; Workload; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Diverted
Human Factors; Weather
I left DRO for DUX to get fuel for my first stop eastward. The weather was predicted to be 1;500 feet ceilings and windy. This was from a station near DUX as they don't have weather reporting. I had enough fuel for my trip and 1hr reserve. As I was descending to DUX I got a report on AWOS vis 7nm and 500 feet OVC. I listened to BGD which is just east of DUX and they were reporting 7nm and 1;200 feet OVC. I asked Approach if they had the weather for DUX and they said it was 10nm and clear. It looked to me that it was IFR and the tops were low but probably the same as DUX. I thought about going to AMA instead as it looked VMC there but I couldn't tell from my distance. I did know that it was VMC somewhere south of me. I asked to change my destination to BGD and the GPS approach and got the AWOS one more time. It was 6nm and 800 feet OVC. I decided to shoot the approach as it was above my minimums. I also was slightly concerned about my fuel as I didn't want to make another approach if I missed. I was still OK with the reserve I had. On the approach; I didn't see the runway until right over it and did a missed approach as the ceilings were much lower than anticipated. However; I was hand flying the plane and climbing north as the missed indicated but I couldn't get Approach. I tried several times. I then realized when I switched to Approach from Unicom; I must have double tapped the flip-flop and I was still on Unicom. I was climbing through 4;700 feet and in VMC conditions. I was concerned about my fuel and trying to figure out my next airport. I discovered and corrected my radio problem and called Approach. By his time I told them I was heading to AMA. I had not completed the missed approach procedures and they assigned me an altitude and gave me clearance to AMA at 7;000 feet. To make matters worse; I put in the wrong altitude and climbed above my clearance. There were a couple of planes in the area holding above me and I realized the problem of my actions. While I never felt unsafe in my approach; I certainly was preoccupied with my decisions and procedures and failed to follow the missed approach procedure. I think part of the problem was that I passed my first destination to my second where I missed the approach and then was nervous about my fuel and going to my third airport. The controllers did say the front moved in much faster than anticipated which explains why I was expecting better conditions at both DUX and BGD but saw low ceilings. The AWOS was more accurate than Approach. In short; I wasn't adequately prepared for the missed on this approach.
The single pilot of a Cessna Citation destined for a fueling stop at a small Texas airport found the weather reported by AWOS and TRACON to be inaccurate and made a missed approach when he broke out at minimum but already over the end of the runway.  While conducting a hand flown MAP he inadvertently exceeded his cleared altitude.