When we departed for DC, the trip home was forecast to be easy with good VFR weather until near home and then the chance of marginal VFR. I had been tracking the weather each day and the forecasts were changing each time I looked and not for the better. I was not obsessing for 2 reasons. First, I couldn’t do much about it and second, none of the forecast presented any real problem…
By Saturday afternoon, it looked like the forecasts had been way off. We would have much lower clouds and more rain than the early guesses. The low pressure offshore would create a classic Nor'easter with strong winds from 030. The issue is that runway 5 has no approaches so the likely active, 32 would have a strong crosswind. I filed for an 11 AM departure via the ARSNL5.GVE departure. This was based on past experience and some advice from local pilots.
Lots of rain between us and home on Saturday but it was moving East quickly. Heading off to sleep, the rain was moving out of the way but the clouds were still forecast to be low in the morning. I was thinking that by mid day most of North Carolina would be VFR and maybe even some of South Carolina. The arrival home would likely be IFR but nothing too bad with ceilings better than 500 and good visibility.
Checking weather at 8AM the front had moved through and the storms were South and East of our track. That was the good news. The less good news, there were low clouds starting in North Carolina and extending through Florida. Our home field was 700 overcast, not great but not a big deal, we could even circle to avoid the 25+ knot crosswind.
By the time we headed to the airport at 10, home had gone to 400 overcast with rain. Now the rain had moved off everywhere except right over our destination. I figured it would clear by the time we arrived but started thinking about crosswinds and diversions just in case.
Startup and departure were smooth. As expected we got the expected departure but were to climb via until 2000 then stay put. Of course once we checked in, the controller just sent us on our way and we had a mostly unrestricted climb to 8000. We even had a tailwind. DC had been cold overnight and it was in the 20s at altitude but we were warm, the heater was flawless, the last trip was well worth it.
We cruised South with a TAS of 190-191 knots and 205-212 ground speed. As you can see we went from clear to progressively not clear. I kept watching the weather reports waiting for the 400 to improve. The airport 6 miles North East of home went to 1300 but Craig stuck at 400, with worse visibility and rain. The one saving grace was that the 70 degree crosswind was just 19 gusting 25 and not more.
I have shot the GPS 32 more times than I can count but I briefed it twice, this was for real, we also discussed the miss scenario. Cecil just across the river had better weather and the wind right down the runway. If we missed, we would head there, get gas and re-evaluate our options. We had left behind the clear skies and had been in and out of the clouds once we passed Savannah but very little rain, just some occasional light mist.
JAX approach gave us direct JEVAG, the IF about 30 miles out and then a vector, there was a jet ahead of us on the approach and I started monitoring the tower to see how they did. The approach controller must have been distracted as he gave me a late turn to intercept final. He then amended it to continue the turn onto final. With the crosswind blowing us South, we ended up about a half dot left coming out of the turn but that was easily corrected.
Crossing ADERR, the FAF the rain and turbulence picked up and we had a over 20 degrees wind correction. Gear was down, approach flaps set and we continued down. The jet had reported the runway at 600 so I was hoping that we would have the same luck. CC had been briefed that the runway would be to our left and not straight ahead. I started calling out height to minimums as we passed 1260, 1000 to go.
600 came and went with nothing and down we went. Minimums were 260 today due to a NOTAM so we were getting close. I was still on the gauges or in today's world the flat panel when CC acquired the runway right at 500. I looked up and saw it too, I was expecting it to be clearer based on the reported visibility but with the rain visibility was around 1.5 miles. I made a novice mistake of relaxing the crab a bit and started to drift left but soon locked back on the centerline. I added full flaps, kept some extra speed for the gusts and had my hands full with the turbulence. The crosswind was interacting with the tree line making the last few feet sprightly.
I was concerned with the wet runway and the crosswind and the fact that others before me had slid off the edges or the end. We touched down smoothly, upwind wheel first. Wet runways make everything softer. I knew the wind would help me slow and I used a combination of left rudder and right engine to keep straight. the right aileron was fully deflected up as I ever so gingerly used the brakes not wanting to slide on the rather slick pavement.
We made the 3000' turn off and taxied in slowly. The real challenge was getting the plane in the hangar with the cold blowing rain. It was a great trip and while I like the challenge of these types of approaches and enjoy the training, I think I would have been happier with a calm sunny day. The plane did get a wash and we even stayed a few extra minutes to wipe her down so I didn't get water spotted.
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