Narrative:

The manager of the ak air traffic division issued fdc NOTAM XXX on 2/mon/89. This NOTAM was issued due to record breaking and intensifying high pressure. Instrument approachs and night VFR operations were prohibited a situation causing an undue amount of confusion. The following actions did not happen: 1) FSS did not issue the fdc NOTAM to pilot. Apparently, the FSS manual does not require briefers to issue fdc NOTAM unless the pilot specifically asks. If this policy is correct, it should be changed immediately. 2) the district offices did not call commercial operators with guidance and compliance information. Considering the magnitude of this NOTAM, phone communications would have been in order. 3) a full scale investigation of this NOTAM issuance including later revisions is required as very basic management techniques were not applied. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states that NOTAM information is often not distributed to the FSS in a timely manner. Further the FSS does not include any NOTAM reference unless specifically requested by the pilot. He feels that ak operations are of a critical nature and this procedure should be changed. As a result of this occurrence the FAA assigned an investigator who attended a presentation by any interested ak air carrier or commercial operator. The reporter is unsure what if any action will take place or if the fact finding investigator will provide feedback. He feels the problem is critical and that even the FAA regional office often cannot interpret these NOTAMS.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NOTAM INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AND INTERPRETATION CRITICAL TO ALASKA OPERATIONS.

Narrative: THE MGR OF THE AK AIR TFC DIVISION ISSUED FDC NOTAM XXX ON 2/MON/89. THIS NOTAM WAS ISSUED DUE TO RECORD BREAKING AND INTENSIFYING HIGH PRESSURE. INSTRUMENT APCHS AND NIGHT VFR OPS WERE PROHIBITED A SITUATION CAUSING AN UNDUE AMOUNT OF CONFUSION. THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS DID NOT HAPPEN: 1) FSS DID NOT ISSUE THE FDC NOTAM TO PLT. APPARENTLY, THE FSS MANUAL DOES NOT REQUIRE BRIEFERS TO ISSUE FDC NOTAM UNLESS THE PLT SPECIFICALLY ASKS. IF THIS POLICY IS CORRECT, IT SHOULD BE CHANGED IMMEDIATELY. 2) THE DISTRICT OFFICES DID NOT CALL COMMERCIAL OPERATORS WITH GUIDANCE AND COMPLIANCE INFO. CONSIDERING THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS NOTAM, PHONE COMS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN ORDER. 3) A FULL SCALE INVESTIGATION OF THIS NOTAM ISSUANCE INCLUDING LATER REVISIONS IS REQUIRED AS VERY BASIC MGMNT TECHNIQUES WERE NOT APPLIED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THAT NOTAM INFO IS OFTEN NOT DISTRIBUTED TO THE FSS IN A TIMELY MANNER. FURTHER THE FSS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY NOTAM REF UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY THE PLT. HE FEELS THAT AK OPS ARE OF A CRITICAL NATURE AND THIS PROC SHOULD BE CHANGED. AS A RESULT OF THIS OCCURRENCE THE FAA ASSIGNED AN INVESTIGATOR WHO ATTENDED A PRESENTATION BY ANY INTERESTED AK ACR OR COMMERCIAL OPERATOR. THE RPTR IS UNSURE WHAT IF ANY ACTION WILL TAKE PLACE OR IF THE FACT FINDING INVESTIGATOR WILL PROVIDE FEEDBACK. HE FEELS THE PROB IS CRITICAL AND THAT EVEN THE FAA REGIONAL OFFICE OFTEN CANNOT INTERPRET THESE NOTAMS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.