Narrative:

ATIS information was reported as VMC with winds at 210 degree 18 gusting to runway 25. On initial contact with approach control was asked to confirm receipt of ATIS information 'left'. After confirming we were slowed to 160 KTS and further requested to slow to approach speed to follow slower aircraft. Were held at 6000' MSL and told to intercept localizer to 16L at approximately 1 1/2 mi from marker and told to contact slc tower as we passed the marker. On initial contact wind was reported at 330/15 KTS. I mentioned this to the captain who remarked that it must be 230/15. As we were in landing phase we performed before landing checklist and completed by 1000' AGL. Captain asked to confirm wind and by the time we received 325/14 KTS, we were under 500'. Landing was completed normally and while continuously monitoring G/south, airspeed, and normal 600-700 FPM vertical speed, noted no adverse signs or indication of tailwind. Upon landing rollout we discovered that previous light aircraft had broken out to land on runway 32 and that several aircraft had already taxied to takeoff on runway 34L. Traffic was light and obviously ATC was aware that a significant wind change was occurring and yet they did not feel compelled to mention anything which might have aided in decision making processes by which we might have decided to terminate our approach. Too many instances are still occurring where ATC seems reluctant to share significant changes with air crews. Supplemental information from acn 174921. I glanced out at CRT wind readout which showed about 25-30 degrees off the tail at 10 KTS which would be less than 10 KTS tailwind comp. At this point I felt it was safer to land than to go around. If the tower had turned the airport around we should have been informed. Even the ATIS should have been out of date and approach should have told us that 'left' was changed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PIC AND FO COMPLAIN OF ATC HANDLING AND LACK OF ATCT TRACON INTERFAC COORD ON EXCHANGE OF ATIS AND ARPT TRAFFIC INFORMATION.

Narrative: ATIS INFO WAS RPTED AS VMC WITH WINDS AT 210 DEG 18 GUSTING TO RWY 25. ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH APCH CTL WAS ASKED TO CONFIRM RECEIPT OF ATIS INFO 'L'. AFTER CONFIRMING WE WERE SLOWED TO 160 KTS AND FURTHER REQUESTED TO SLOW TO APCH SPD TO FOLLOW SLOWER ACFT. WERE HELD AT 6000' MSL AND TOLD TO INTERCEPT LOC TO 16L AT APPROX 1 1/2 MI FROM MARKER AND TOLD TO CONTACT SLC TWR AS WE PASSED THE MARKER. ON INITIAL CONTACT WIND WAS RPTED AT 330/15 KTS. I MENTIONED THIS TO THE CAPT WHO REMARKED THAT IT MUST BE 230/15. AS WE WERE IN LNDG PHASE WE PERFORMED BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST AND COMPLETED BY 1000' AGL. CAPT ASKED TO CONFIRM WIND AND BY THE TIME WE RECEIVED 325/14 KTS, WE WERE UNDER 500'. LNDG WAS COMPLETED NORMALLY AND WHILE CONTINUOUSLY MONITORING G/S, AIRSPD, AND NORMAL 600-700 FPM VERT SPD, NOTED NO ADVERSE SIGNS OR INDICATION OF TAILWIND. UPON LNDG ROLLOUT WE DISCOVERED THAT PREVIOUS LIGHT ACFT HAD BROKEN OUT TO LAND ON RWY 32 AND THAT SEVERAL ACFT HAD ALREADY TAXIED TO TKOF ON RWY 34L. TFC WAS LIGHT AND OBVIOUSLY ATC WAS AWARE THAT A SIGNIFICANT WIND CHANGE WAS OCCURRING AND YET THEY DID NOT FEEL COMPELLED TO MENTION ANYTHING WHICH MIGHT HAVE AIDED IN DECISION MAKING PROCESSES BY WHICH WE MIGHT HAVE DECIDED TO TERMINATE OUR APCH. TOO MANY INSTANCES ARE STILL OCCURRING WHERE ATC SEEMS RELUCTANT TO SHARE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WITH AIR CREWS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 174921. I GLANCED OUT AT CRT WIND READOUT WHICH SHOWED ABOUT 25-30 DEGS OFF THE TAIL AT 10 KTS WHICH WOULD BE LESS THAN 10 KTS TAILWIND COMP. AT THIS POINT I FELT IT WAS SAFER TO LAND THAN TO GO AROUND. IF THE TWR HAD TURNED THE ARPT AROUND WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED. EVEN THE ATIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF DATE AND APCH SHOULD HAVE TOLD US THAT 'L' WAS CHANGED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.