Narrative:

I have a real problem with the new type of automated WX reports that we are getting. The one today said clear below 12000 ft, then on next information it said 11000 ft scattered. Both of these were entirely incorrect. We went into the tops of the clouds at 13000 ft and didn't break out of the bases until 7000 ft. We also picked up light rime icing the entire time we were in the clouds. Maybe it's not an earth shaking safety issue in a situation like this, but it is a distraction when the WX report is this much incorrect. I do not think there is any way to replace a qualified human WX observer. I am sitting here now on a bleak and dreary day in kansas city. The conditions are not IFR, but they are definitely not clear below 12000 ft. I am also completely dissatisfied with this format in that there can be many variations of clear below 12000 ft and I have no indication of whether there are clear skies or clouds there. Where would you head for if you had a catastrophic electrical system failure at night while cruising above a cloud deck when everyone was reporting clear below 12000 ft? Also, my passenger depend on me to know what kind of WX I am flying into. It's sort of embarrassing to land on an overcast and dreary day after telling them that it's a pretty nice day in kansas city because I have a string of WX reports for the last 7 hours that all say clear below 12000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE RPTR STATED THE AWOS IS DEFICIENT.

Narrative: I HAVE A REAL PROB WITH THE NEW TYPE OF AUTOMATED WX RPTS THAT WE ARE GETTING. THE ONE TODAY SAID CLR BELOW 12000 FT, THEN ON NEXT INFO IT SAID 11000 FT SCATTERED. BOTH OF THESE WERE ENTIRELY INCORRECT. WE WENT INTO THE TOPS OF THE CLOUDS AT 13000 FT AND DIDN'T BREAK OUT OF THE BASES UNTIL 7000 FT. WE ALSO PICKED UP LIGHT RIME ICING THE ENTIRE TIME WE WERE IN THE CLOUDS. MAYBE IT'S NOT AN EARTH SHAKING SAFETY ISSUE IN A SIT LIKE THIS, BUT IT IS A DISTR WHEN THE WX RPT IS THIS MUCH INCORRECT. I DO NOT THINK THERE IS ANY WAY TO REPLACE A QUALIFIED HUMAN WX OBSERVER. I AM SITTING HERE NOW ON A BLEAK AND DREARY DAY IN KANSAS CITY. THE CONDITIONS ARE NOT IFR, BUT THEY ARE DEFINITELY NOT CLR BELOW 12000 FT. I AM ALSO COMPLETELY DISSATISFIED WITH THIS FORMAT IN THAT THERE CAN BE MANY VARIATIONS OF CLR BELOW 12000 FT AND I HAVE NO INDICATION OF WHETHER THERE ARE CLR SKIES OR CLOUDS THERE. WHERE WOULD YOU HEAD FOR IF YOU HAD A CATASTROPHIC ELECTRICAL SYS FAILURE AT NIGHT WHILE CRUISING ABOVE A CLOUD DECK WHEN EVERYONE WAS RPTING CLR BELOW 12000 FT? ALSO, MY PAX DEPEND ON ME TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF WX I AM FLYING INTO. IT'S SORT OF EMBARRASSING TO LAND ON AN OVCST AND DREARY DAY AFTER TELLING THEM THAT IT'S A PRETTY NICE DAY IN KANSAS CITY BECAUSE I HAVE A STRING OF WX RPTS FOR THE LAST 7 HRS THAT ALL SAY CLR BELOW 12000 FT.

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.