Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50; Flight Crew Total 1060; Flight Crew Type 217
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Inflight Event / Encounter VFR In IMC; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; General Declared Emergency
Weather
I was doing a student's Instrument Stage I Check in [a] practice area...in VMC. At the completion of his checkride; we began to return to [the airport]. I realized that we were not going to be able to return...due to a wall of snow and low visibility that obstructed [the airport]. I called Dispatch to ask what the visibility was on the ground and if they could see the...Library (3 miles away). They responded that they could not and the visibility was approximately 1 mile. I advised them that we would wait a few minutes to see if it cleared up; if not we were going to [an alternate]. Approximately 1 minute later; I realized that the wall of snow and low visibility was moving in our direction very quickly and the visibility surrounding us was beginning to drop. I immediately made the decision to go to [the alternate] and advised Dispatch of this decision. We flew to [the alternate] and landed with no further incident. Up until this point; the student was flying the airplane. After landing we tied the aircraft down and entered the FBO; where I called Dispatch to let them know we were safely on the ground. I advised them that we would wait about ten minutes to see if it cleared up; and I would call them back to see if the weather was clear the [departure airport] area.... I then received a call saying that the weather was clear...and that I should leave now. I verified that the weather was clear.... From this point forward I had the flight controls. After takeoff...there was another huge wall of snow and low visibility directly in front and to the north of us. I flew south to avoid it. Once in the air I could see that these walls of snow were randomly scattered all around us; but none that caused a threat to our flight. After flying south around the column of snow I could see [the departure airport] with no weather hazards in its vicinity.... There was no problem until turning 45 to downwind.... From here I could see another wall of snow and low visibility west and north of the runway. I continued because I believed that we would be landed before it would pose a problem. However; the wall was moving faster than I had previously thought and it would have been reaching the base area by the time I would have been reaching base. I decided to enter right base Runway 1 due to the winds being a direct crosswind out of the west. When we reached pattern altitude and below; we were experiencing continuous low-level windshear; moderate turbulence; and occasional severe chop. On final; I was continuously correcting for windshear; turbulence and airspeed variations of approximately 15 KTS. The winds were so great that I had run out of rudder while trying to keep my nose lined up with centerline. When entering ground effect; I lost airspeed due to losing the gust and the aircraft began to drop. I added power to compensate; but there was not enough energy and the aircraft dropped and bounced off the runway back into ground effect into a somewhat stable condition. Normally; I would have gone around; but the wall of snow was now at the threshold for Runway 19. I continued to attempt a landing. Once again; I lost the gust and the aircraft began to drop; so I added full power and went around avoiding bouncing the aircraft again. Approximately 5 seconds later I entered the snow wall and shortly after that [went] into IMC. I climbed straight out to gain altitude. I knew the last known area of VMC was to the southeast.... My plan was to fly to this area. At approximately 500 FT AGL; I began a right hand climbing turn. I set the GPS up to go Direct.... Once traveling toward the VOR I noticed the aircraft was beginning to accumulate rime type ice very rapidly on my wheel. At this point; I decided to declare an emergency and called Approach to do so. I gave them my tail number; my approximate position and told them I was declaring an emergency. They told me to squawk and asked what my emergency was. I told them that I had inadvertently enteredIMC and was now picking up ice. They told me the two nearest airports; and asked what assistance I needed. I asked for vectors.... At this time; I exited IMC into VMC. Approach then gave me a vector; but I told them that I was currently out of the clouds and could not fly that heading or I would enter the clouds again. They asked if I would prefer [another airport]. I told them yes; because I had just gotten it into view. Approach eventually told us to switch frequencies and to contact Clearance Delivery when safely on the ground. After switching frequencies; we experienced a communications failure. I could hear myself talk; but could not transmit. Furthermore; the student could not hear anything; and I could not hear him talk. I continued to blindly transmit radio calls.... While on final for Runway 25; I noticed I was too high; so I circled to lose altitude. I chose to do this because there was another wall of snow beginning to form west of the runway. Once again; we were experiencing continuous moderate turbulence with low level windshear and occasional severe chop. Once on final; I noticed the winds had shifted and were coming from more out of the north. Once again; I had a lot of cross control in and did not have enough rudder to keep the nose lined up with centerline. Furthermore; I had airspeed variations of approximately 15 KTS. When on short final; I noticed the snow wall had solidified into a wall of low visibility off the departure end of [the] runway. Due to the radio failure; I made the choice that if I had to go around I would squawk 7600 and try and avoid the snow wall. I continued to land (a rough landing due to losing gust again). I taxied to the FBO and shutdown.
C172 Instructor and student pilot attempting to land in turbulence; low level windshear and gusty wind; bounced off the runway twice; executed a go-around; entered IMC; encountered icing and declared an emergency. After receiving vectors to an alternate airport; the pilots lost radio communication; but were able to land visually.