Page:CAB Accident Report, Western Air Lines Flight 221.pdf/4

 The captain stated that at a point between the outer and middle marker, the copilot informed him that the approach lights and runway lights were in sight. He then made visual contact with the runway, turned the landing lights on and called for full flaps. At this point, the aircraft was slightly to the left of centerline but a correction was made and the approach was continued on course. The captain further stated that there was, "... at least a half mile visibility on the approach end with approximately 6 to 10 runway lights visible." The approach was continued with visual reference to the runway with the first officer calling out airspeeds, the last of which he recalled was 105 knots. After a normal flareout the touchdown occurred, according to the crew, approximately 1,000 feet down the runway. The landing was described as, "... a little harder than usual." The aircraft configuration at touchdown was landing gear down, landing lights extended and on, flaps fully extended (50 degrees), and all propellers set at 2300 r.p.m.

The captain stated that immediately after landing, the aircraft entered a fog condition which reduced visibility to zero. Upon losing visual reference, he started to apply power but hesitated with the power application when sight of the runway lights was momentarily regained. However, almost immediately the aircraft again entered a dense fog and a go-around was initiated. The captain said, at this point I started to apply full power and I called for full power and flaps to 20 (degrees), and I initiated go-around procedures. I rotated the airplane at V2 (100 knots). We were approximately at V2 when I started to apply power, and at V2 I rotated the airplane and became airborne."

The first officer stated that upon the captain's command for "full power and flaps to 20" he reached across the pedestal, placed the master propeller control lever in the full forward position then moved the flap selector control handle to the 20-degree detent.

The second officer stated that he had reached forward with his left hand for the propeller master control but found it had already been placed in the high r.p.m. position. He then monitored the Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP) gauges and noted they were all reading approximately 200 EMEP.

A short time after the aircraft became airborne the captain heard the check pilot exclaim, "... you are sinking, pull up." The captain stated that at this time "I ... was very preoccupied trying to maintain my hundred knots, which was V2 climbout speed, trying to maintain heading and attitude of the airplane, and it was shortly after this that we heard this noise, which is very hard to describe... it was not a severe impact of any kind, although it felt that we either brushed something or touched something or hit something. It did not appear to be too solid. We were airborne and the airplane was not performing at all. It was merely maintaining its altitude and I did not dare let go of what I had. I maintained as closely as I could my attitude and my speed and eventually the airplane started to climb out,"