Queen Air 65/70 (Seminole)
Flight Crew Commercial
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Training / Qualification
Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors; Weather
There were many thunderstorms in the vicinity. The Center and Approach headings put me between the cells without any issue. Approach cleared me for the ILS on 12R. I usually keep Approach and Tower on com 1; but com 1 seemed scratchy today; so I was using com 2. Out of habit; I entered the Tower frequency in com 1; but I still transmitted on com 2; so I mistakenly called Approach again. I corrected my mistake and switched over to Tower. Tower did tell me that a Boeing experienced moderate turbulence. Visibility was probably a good twenty to thirty miles. I could easily see the approach path; but I could not see the airport. I could only see a vertical white wall of rain. It did not look dark or ominous though. At that point; I remember an airline saying they would wait for the weather to clear. I was already on the ILS approach so I figured I would give it a try; which was a mistake I came to regret.As soon as I entered the wall of white; the rain began to pound the airplane. I was doing 185 knots even though I had power at idle! The turbulence began to get severe. I had trouble keeping the localizer and glideslope needles centered. I was right of course and below glideslope. (Looking back; the fact that I was below glideslope scared me. I cannot remember how much I was below glideslope; and I should have done a better job of watching the glideslope.) I descended to 1;400 on the altimeter and Tower issued a low altitude alert. Decision height was 1;042. I could see absolutely nothing but white; so I told Tower I was going missed and climbed out as quickly as I could.The turbulence was even worse now. The plane was suddenly thrown into 45 degree bank angles and I had sudden 1;000 per minute climbs and descents. Tower asked me to go 040 heading off the missed approach. I attempted to. The turbulence was so severe I just wanted out as soon as possible. I did not know what was in front of me; but I know I was in calm clear VFR through most of the ILS approach. I think at one point Tower asked to verify if I was climbing or not. I did get the climb re-established and told him I was climbing. I then demanded a heading to the west. The Tower controller said something; but it wasn't a west heading; so I told him I needed west. He then gave me a west heading and I eventually returned to the clear weather.I think more communication between ATC and the pilots would be helpful. I don't have weather radar and I could be wrong; but I don't remember approach mentioning that there was a thunderstorm cell on the runway or maybe they didn't know yet. ATC usually never seems to say thunderstorm; they usually say moderate to extreme precipitation; which up until this event; I usually took to mean just rain. I also could have asked about the weather conditions specifically when I talked to Tower; so I ultimately put the blame on myself for that and continuing to do the approach. There also was the factor of time pressure and most of the other planes had landed; so I didn't want to seem too weak to even try. I now realize that is a risky attitude and I allowed myself to be put in a bad situation.
BE-65 pilot reported loss of control in severe weather on approach to MSP that resulted in a low altitude alert from ATC.