WX reporting equipment problem ASOS reporting incorrect airport WX.

Attributes
ACN	303202
Time
Date	199505
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tul
State Reference	OK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 450 agl bound upper : 450
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tul artcc : rjtg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	303202
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I wish to inform you of an experience I had while executing an ILS approach at tulsa. The ATIS reported 2000 ft broken and visibility better than 6 mi. We broke out at 450 ft AGL in an unequivocally overcast sky state and noted a 3.5 mi visibility. As you probably already know, AWOS/ASOS was the offending technology. I knew this because of the A02 identifier at the beginning of the ATIS report. GA pilots must be made aware of the significant limitations of the AWOS/ASOS WX system. Myself and the crew I was with had no problems during this approach. We are far part 121 pilots with commensurate experience. If you put a newly instrument rated GA pilot into a similar situation, I believe the outcome might be tragic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WX RPTING EQUIP PROB ASOS RPTING INCORRECT ARPT WX.

Narrative: I WISH TO INFORM YOU OF AN EXPERIENCE I HAD WHILE EXECUTING AN ILS APCH AT TULSA. THE ATIS RPTED 2000 FT BROKEN AND VISIBILITY BETTER THAN 6 MI. WE BROKE OUT AT 450 FT AGL IN AN UNEQUIVOCALLY OVERCAST SKY STATE AND NOTED A 3.5 MI VISIBILITY. AS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, AWOS/ASOS WAS THE OFFENDING TECHNOLOGY. I KNEW THIS BECAUSE OF THE A02 IDENTIFIER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ATIS RPT. GA PLTS MUST BE MADE AWARE OF THE SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS OF THE AWOS/ASOS WX SYS. MYSELF AND THE CREW I WAS WITH HAD NO PROBS DURING THIS APCH. WE ARE FAR PART 121 PLTS WITH COMMENSURATE EXPERIENCE. IF YOU PUT A NEWLY INST RATED GA PLT INTO A SIMILAR SIT, I BELIEVE THE OUTCOME MIGHT BE TRAGIC.

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.